A SELECTIVE MICROFILM EDITION
PARTY
(1911-1919)
Thomas E. Jeffrey
Senior Editor
Brian C. Shipley
Theresa M. Collins
Linda E. Endersby
Editors
David A. Ranzan
Indexing Editor
Janette Pardo
Richard Mizelle
Peter Mikulas
Paul B. Israel
Director and General Editor
Sponsors
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
National Park Service, Edison National Historic Site
New Jersey Historical Commission
A UPA Collection from
LexisNexis-
Thomas A. Edison Papers
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
endorsed by
National Historical Publications and Records Commission
18 June 1981
Copyright ©2007 by Rutgers, The State University
All rights reserved. No part of this publication including any portion of the guide and
index or of the microfilm may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted m any
form by any means— graphic, electronic, mechanical, or chemical, including photocopying,
recording or taping, or information storage and retrieval systems— without written permission of
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey.
The original documents in this edition are from the archives at the Edison National
Historic Site at West Orange, New Jersey.
ISBN 978-0-88692-887-2
THOMAS A. EDISON PAPERS STAFF (2007)
Director and General Editor
Paul Israel
Senior Editor
Thomas Jeffrey
Associate Editors
Louis Carlat
Theresa Collins
Assistant Editor
David Hochfelder
Indexing Editor
David Ranzan
Consulting Editor
Linda Endersby
Visiting Editor
Amy Flanders
Editorial Assistants
Alexandra Rimer
Kelly Enright
Eric Barry
Outreach and Development
(Edison Across the Curriculum)
Theresa Collins
Business Manager
Rachel Wcissenburgcr
BOARD OF SPONSORS (2007)
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey National Park Service
Richard L. McCormick Maryanne Gerbauckas
Ziva Galili Michelle Ortwein
Ann Fabian
Paul Clemens Smithsonian Institution
Harold Wallace
New Jersey Historical Commission
Marc Mappen
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD (2007)
Robert Friedel, University of Maryland
Louis Galambos, Johns Hopkins University
Susan Hockey, Oxford University
Thomas P. Hughes, University of Pennsylvania
Ronald Kline, Cornell University
Robert Rosenberg, John Wiley & Sons
Marc Rothenberg, Joseph Henry Papers, Smithsonian Institution
Philip Scranton, Rutgers University/Hagley Museum
Merritt Roe Smith, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTORS
We thankfully acknowledge the vision and support of Rutgers University and the
Thomas A. Edison Papers Board of Sponsors.
This edition was made possible by grant funds provided from the New Jersey Historical
Commission, National Historical Publications and Records Commission, and The National
Endowment for the Humanities. Major underwriting has been provided by the Barkley Fund,
through the National Trust for the Humanities, and by The Charles Edison Foundation.
We are grateful for the generous support of the IEEE Foundation, the Hyde & Watson
Foundation, the Martinson Family Foundation, and the GE Foundation. We acknowledge gifts
from many other individuals, as well as an anonymous donor; the Association of Edison
Illuminating Companies; and the Edison Electric Institute. For the assistance of all these
organizations and individuals, as well as for the indispensable aid of archivists, librarians,
scholars, and collectors, the editors are most grateful.
A Note on the Sources
The pages which have been
filmed are the best copies
available. Every technical
effort possible has been
made to ensure legibility.
PUBLICATION AND MICROFILM
COPYING RESTRICTIONS
Reel duplication of the whole or of
any part of this film is prohibited.
In lieu of transcripts, however,
enlarged photocopies of selected
items contained on these reels
may be made in order to facilitate
research.
EDISON GENERAL FILE SERIES
1912
Edison General File Series
1912
E- 12-01 Advertising
E-12-02 Advice
E-12-03 Articles
E-12-04 Autograph and Photograph Requests
E-12-05 Automobile
E-12-06 Aviation
E- 12-07 Banking
E-12-08 Battery, Primary
E-1 2-09 Battery, Storage - General
E-1 2-1 0 Battery, Storage - Country House Lighting
E-1 2-1 1 Battery, Storage - Delivery Wagons - General
E-1 2-1 2 Battery, Storage - Delivery Wagons - Endurance Tests [not
selected]
E-1 2-1 3 Battery, Storage - Delivery Wagons - Lansden Company
E-1 2-1 4 Battery, Storage - Edison Storage Battery Company [not
selected]
E-1 2-1 5 Battery, Storage - Electric Vehicles
E-1 2-1 6 Battery, Storage - Federal Storage Battery Car Compay
E-1 2-1 7 Battery, Storage - Foreign - General
E-1 2-1 8 Battery, Storage - Foreign - Bergmann, Sigmund
E-1 2-1 9 Battery, Storage - Foreign - Japan
E-1 2-20 Birthday Celebration
E-1 2-21 Birthday Greetings [not selected]
E-1 2-22 Book and Journal Orders
E-1 2-23 Business Propositions [not selected]
E-1 2-24 Cement
E-1 2-25 Cement House
E-1 2-26 Charities and Loans
E-1 2-27 Christmas and New Year Greetings [not selected]
E-1 2-28 Cigarettes
E-1 2-29 Clubs and Societies
E-1 2-30 Deafness
E-12-31 Edison, T.A.
E-1 2-32 Edison Club [not selected]
E-12-33 Edison Crushing Roll Company
E-1 2-34 Edison Star [not selected]
E-1 2-35 Education
E-1 2-36 Electric Light
E-1 2-37 Employment
E-1 2-38 Equipment and Supplies
E-1 2-39 European Tour (1911)
E-1 2-40 Exhibitions
E-1 2-41 Family
E-1 2-42 Fan Mail [not selected]
E-1 2-43 Financial [not selected]
E-12-44 Foreign-Language Documents (Untranslated) [not selected]
E-1 2-45 Fort Myers
E-1 2-46 Glenmont
E-1 2-47 Halogen Products Company
E-1 2-48 Health and Diet
E-1 2-49 ' nsurance [not selected]
E-1 2-50 invitations [not selected]
E-1 2-51 Lectures [not selected]
E-1 2-52 Legal - General
E-1 2-53 Legal - Litigation
E-1 2-54 Menlo Park
E-1 2-55 Miner's Safety Lamp
E-1 2-56 Mining - General [not selected]
E-1 2-57 Mining - Metals and Other Minerals
E-1 2-58 Mining - Ore Milling
E-1 2-59 Motion Pictures - General
E-1 2-60 Motion Pictures - Educational Films
E-1 2-61 Name Use [not selected]
E-1 2-62 Patents
E-1 2-63 Personal
E-i 2-64 Phonograph - General
E-1 2-65 Phonograph - Edison Phonograph Works
E-12-66 Phonograph - Foreign
E-1 2-67 Phonograph - Music Publishers
E-12-68 Politics
E-1 2-69 Port Huron [not selected]
E-1 2-70 Proudfoot's Commercial Agency [not selected]
E-1 2-71 Radio
E-1 2-72 Real Estate
E-1 2-73 Receipts [not selected]
E-1 2-74 Religion and Spiritualism [not selected]
E-1 2-75 Secretary [not selected]
E-1 2-76 Stock and Bond Offerings [not selected]
E-1 2-77 Tasimeter
E-1 2-78 Telegraph
E-1 2-79 Telephone [not selected]
E-1 2-80 Thomas A. Edison, Inc. - General
E-1 2-81
E-1 2-82
E-1 2-83
E-1 2-84
E-1 2-85
E-1 2-86
E-1 2-87
E-1 2-88
Thomas A. Edison, Inc. - Accounts
Tidal Power
Warren County Warehouse Company [not selected]
West Orange Laboratory - General
West Orange Laboratory - Hutchison, Miller Reese
West Orange Laboratory and Associated Companies - Letters
and Reports to Edison
X-Rays [not selected]
Edison General File Series
1912. Advertising (E-12-01)
This folder contains solicitation letters from advertising managers. The
selected items relate primarily to the promotion of Edison's alkaline storage
battery in electric automobiles. Included are circulars by Converse D. Marsh
of the Bates Advertising Co. regarding marketing strategies in Boston.
Approximately 40 percent of the documents, including all of the
correspondence with Edison marginalia, have been selected. Among the
unselected items are additional circulars by Marsh, solicitation letters from the
Exhibitors Advertising Co. and McClure's Magazine, and an appeal from the
Glen Ridge Public Schools.
A
The Converse D. Marsh
Company
r$ Spruce St., New Tork
May
Becond
19 12
This is a copy of a letter we arc sending the
Electric Vehicle Manufacturers not represented in Bocton
wherein wc are enclosing 2 co-operative advertising pages
from the Herald and Transcript.
We are onclooing you herewith 2 pages torn re¬
spectively from the Herald and Transcript of Boston showing
the co-operative advertising page for the Electric Automobile.
Next Saturday and Sunday there will be evon more
of this advertising.
Why don't you get representation in Boston, the
place where things are boing done? As you probably know,
the Electric Vehicle business iB increasing faster in How
England with Boston as a nucleus than in any city in tho coun¬
try. Ho big business is boing done yet but sales are doublod
or trebled what they were a year ago and 5 or 6 tiraos what
they wore in 1910.
Wo don't claim to scratch the surface yet but we do
know that with this co-operative advertising going on we will
soon have a fairly big furrow plowed and I predict that in a
year from now, Boston will be the centre of Electric Automobile
activity in the United States.
Yours very truly.
cdh/eg
The Converse D. Marsh
Company
l$ Spruce St., New York
May
seventh
19 12
Electric
This is a copy of a letter
Vehicle Manufacturers in th<
>"c arc sending the
United Statoo.
Mayor Fltr.gerald of Boston addressed The Elec¬
tric Vehicle Club a few days ago and ho told thorn, amidst
much applause,, what Boston was doing in improved street
paving. This improvement is a groat thing for the Elec¬
tric Automobile in tho street of Boston although in the
suburbs the streets are perhaps averaged better than any
other city in America, and the Massachusetts highways have
been famous ever since the days of the bicycle.
Yours very truly.
CD]' /EG
the Dates Advertising Company
office or
CONVERSE D. MARSH
CHAIRMAN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
15 SPRUCE ST. NEW YORK
ENT RANCH TO OFFICE FLOORS 3- STORY
Telephone Numbefe
4421 Beelmian
4422 J
May
ninth
HIS
This is a copy of a letter wo are sending the
Electric Vehicle! Manufacturers in the TTnitod States.
On last Wednesday I road a paper before The El¬
ectric Vehicle Club of Boston which had a deeper import
attnehed to it than simply the question of advertising.
Yours very truly,
cd;:/eg
10B. A. Kdinon, <L^CX ^
- . . ^r~z<^
■~ “£:^j — <-
I would like very much! to have I Jy_^. —
„ Cf
the advertising _—— — T"**“ '
more important £,<-*.&Cs
I have gone intc
game, because I think it is
field today than any other i
Ab you may or may not know, X
believe your judgment to be practically
infallible, and it would help me very
materially, if I could learn from you whether
the line pursued in this opening fire, strikes
the responsive chord.
*2
X expect to be in Chicago for the
next two or three months. If you can spare
a few moments for the task, I should certainly
appreciate a line from you.
P. I,.
- P.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
»u
the Bates Advertising Company
CONVERSE D. MARSH
CHAIRMAN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
15 SPRUCE ST. NEW YORK
ENTRANCE TO OFFICE FLOORS 5- STORY
Sept.
5,
Telephone Numbefc
4420 \ .
4421 Deekman
4422 J
1 9 IE .
Thomas A- Edison, Esq.,
Edison Storage Battery Co.,
Orange , N . J.
Dear Sir:-
We have today mailed you copy of the Motor
Truck Booklet issued hy The Edison Electric Illuminating
Company, '"his shows you Just one activity of the work in
Boston. Within the next six or eight months you will see
results in Boston that will surprise you. In the meantime
I might call your attention to
Electric light Company has yet
that we are sending you.
Yours
PKiFMM
the fact that no other
published a booklet like
very truly ,
THE BATES ADVERTISING COMPANY,
,ive Committee.
P. S. This is a copy of the letter we are
Electric Vehicle Manufacturers.
sending to all The
Edison General File Series
1912. Advice (E-1 2-02)
This folder contains unsolicited correspondence from inventors and
others asking for Edison's advice on technical matters or his assistance in
improving or promoting inventions. Included are comments by Edison
regarding the profits earned by inventors and remarks concerning specific
technologies or scientific phenomena such as static and atmospheric
electricity. Also included are comments about the work of Swedish scientist
Svante Arrhenius and German physicist Hermann von Helmholtz. Some of the
letters pertain to consumer demand for refrigeration and, in the aftermath of
the 1912 Titanic disaster, methods for detecting icebergs in sea water.
Less than 5 percent of the documents have been selected. The
unselected items received a perfunctory reply or no answer from Edison.
T'hphon, 460 PLUMBERS. HOT WATER
P.O.Box us md STEAM FITTERS
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Elmira, H.Y
dU-o. Cf
Scheme for saving lives of miners
Jan, 10, 1912
^ u>L^'in.e>£‘
‘ U,«wT«.
in case of mine explosions. ft£
Mr. Thos. A. Edison, aL*yfc*V ‘T^'^'V \
For some time past whenever l vea.A^&^ a
attendant loss of life, I always think*^^3st3tvCy^w^^^rc\cC
have been saved by use of the following A&cvjXe^ apparatus^ 0
Place at convenient positions th^ghout |the mine smakfrooms
built of concrete or steel or iron plate of the necessary thickr^ss, and
rendered as nearly air tight as possible, into which the men could go in
case of accident. These rooms to be connected with the outside world by
means of telephone connection, pipes for pumping fresh air to the men, and
ventilating the rooms. P-robhbly it would be possible to send liquid food
through pipes to these rooms as well. Also some stock of canned goods
might be kept in the rooms. Thus the men would be able to exist for some
time in comparative safety, until their rescue could be efected, and their
whereabouts amd condition could be known by means of the telephone.
Personally 1 am not in position to know the conditions in the
mines at such times, and this scheme may not be at all practicable for
some good reasons which I am unable to anticipate. If there is any value
in it I would be glad to see it carried out in the interest of humanity.
If there is value in the idea as a business proposition for a
pattentee or manufacturer I would be glad to profit by it as the originator
of the idea, but am in no position to try it out for myself.
I do not really expect an answer to this letter ( and I appologize
for trespasing on your time etc.) unless you see value in the idea and feel
disposed to make reply.
Very respectfully,
_
#512 Fitch St., Elmira, M.Y.
Mr Thomas A. EdiBon
Menloe Park K.J<
Dear Sir:-
^inghamton N.Y. Jan 15th. 1912
fy\/U\ £*(*-
. >-©-«- !«•
I hope you will pSbabi ray freedom in address ing you,
bjLca-rvT 0 0- Kna —
ask:
ttei
r
I am in serious need of ^dVi'ce^and knowing of'jfour wid| elxperi
lArCOt<- C*. V^w\w«uw o^u.evrv «vw<Ujj » •-*
enoe in patent matters and l^buls^^^d5°rL^™* ^ a^ki^-
this favor which if granted I assure you^rill not js forgotten if
X am successful with ray invention. _
I have Invented a nut lock, which is an ^solute look, nut
a highly ornamental device, but a simple device that locks by obstru
ction instead of by friction as most inventions of this class do.
My papers have just been filed in the patent Office so I
cannot describe it yet but will send you full dlscription later.
My object in writing you is for advice as to the most
advantagious manner of marketing my invention, the amount X should
expect to get for it & ect. I will stato here there is no question
as to the efficency of my device as I have given it a rigid test
and the cost ftf manifacture will be extremely small perhaps one
cent per nut above the regular cost of same.
The nut can be applied to any bolt without any previous
preparation of the bolt so you may base your advice on the assumption
that the device is absolutely practical and economical of construction
As a device of this kind is more needed by railroads than
any other class of consumers X have conceived the idea of trying to
sell the rights to the various rail road corporations at a per mile
rate, on their holdings.
Thomas A. Edison #3
Rather than sell the patent outright to one oompany.
Hoping the foregoing information is sufficient for yoy to form
an intelligent opinion of my needs.
I will close with a farther assurance that any advice you may be
able to give that will assist me in advantages ly disposing of my
patent will receive an equitable enumeration.
I remain respectfully yours.
V
WISCONSIN BOX CO.
BOXES AND BOX SHOOKS
Ihos.A.Edoson
Orange ,11. J .
;?an 15-12
Boar Sir : .
Have you over investigated the natter of whether there is not
a considerable quantity of elootriety generated from a stean pipe and
engine while the sane is in operation? The writer Believes that there
is considerable on account of the friction of all the parts mainly
nade by the friction of the stean. It is possible there is enough
of Intent fcleetricty in theso parts if thorc was sone means of tjl.ing
sane off and putting it into commercial use .to bo of value.
Very respectfully,^
M -W
> *- % »j*r.
L
fi/lT- i"C* /
w ,POA
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ESTATE OF WALTER B. DUFFY
EXECUTORS
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EXECUTORS
ESTATE OF WALTER B. DUFFY
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Memphis,
Memphis, Term., Feb. I, 1912.
, New Jersey, J . ^ o-f
Jv
Mr. Thomas A. Edison,
Orange ,
Sir:- ’ta-
I am writing to you for information.^%^.4
I have filed an application for pate in the^U. -S^y^fcgnt Ojj- ^
fioe for a machine, of »hich the A Zfr X
in* model in order to enable them to fully'knd readily understand its «■
'Vsvt^vv
precise operation. And I am enclosing herewith drawing an^a wrft^
ten desription of it, which I would ^mce for'"yout^ look over; tt^T
is to say, if you have no objections and give me your opinion as tq
its feasibility. ^ ^ *U*m~~*.
It is very artful in design, and can not be made under ordinary
circumstances, as much skill and a great deal of money is required.
I have some money, but not enougjTDo carry out my plan, and it is my
object in view to get sufficient jWprital^behind me to make the proper
experiments, and, for this reas^\_^^Xwc3Jgip^#n^Mq)laining the :
matter to you, because I believe tha^Oif I can get you to sanction or
regard my theory as worthy of att^niJor^V^fii&i^e^fc^^ persons as
Mr. Carnegie to defray the expense of experimenting, whrchgjg*, in my
opinion, the only sure way of knowing whether or not it is foible.
I understand that in 1902 Mr. Carnegie, with a gift^f ten mil¬
lion dollars, founded in Washington the Carnegie Insj^ute for Orig¬
inal Research, and that the policy of the Institution is that only
those inquiries are aided which give promise of fruit, and in every
case the grantee requires to be a man of proved ability. I am not a
man of proved ability; but, nevertheless, I entend to ask this In¬
stitution for aid any way, and I thought that it would be best for me
to f irBt explain matters to you and get you to approve of my plan and
I ask you, for this reason, to look over my drawing, etc., and then,
if you have any confidence in its feasibility and do not care for me
using your name and influence in procuring money to make such exper¬
iments; that is, so for as your opinion goes, I would be glad if you
2.
would state the confidence you have in it, in a letter and also give
me permission to use the letter to help influence persons to whom
I may apply for help. In other words, it is necessary that I furnish
positive evidence that the invention is feasible before I can procure
financial assistance from any man of intelligence, and if you will
send me a certificate which furnishes such evidence that will enable
me to convince men, such as Mr. Carnegie, that my views on the sub¬
ject deserve the carful examination by such exact tests that will
enable ub to KNOW, not guess, whether or not such a machine is or is
not operative, you will do me a great favor. If, on the other hand,
you think the invention is feasible and desire to become a joint
patentee in the matter; that is, so far as foreign patents are con¬
cerned i you may do so if you desire to furnish the required sum your¬
self for making the experiments, etc. But this, however, does not
include the United States patent. I understand that the time in
which to file patent applications under the rules of the Internation¬
al agreement has recently been extended to twelve months, which
begins to run from the date of filing the United States application,
which gives the inventor an opportunity to secure foreign patents on
all the countries which are members of the Union, which are: Austria,
Hungary, Great Britain, United States, France, Germany, Switzerland,
Spain, Belgium, Italy, Netherlands, Denmark, Norway and Sweden,
Portugal, Mexico, Servia, Tunis, Brazil, Guatemala, San Domingo,
Queensland, Australia, New Zealand, Dutch East Indies, Japan, Cuba,
and Dutch WeBt Indies. In the event you should want to take me up
on this proposition and become a joint patentee on the foreign pat¬
ents, please write me what proportion of these patents you would want
for this service.
My invention relates to means for making possible the production
of perpetual motion, and it consists of a device which is admirably
adapted to accomplish the purpose in view. But, nevertheless, it
proves a work of time and some difficulty to remove an impression so
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FALKENSTEIN’S
DAYLIGHT SHOE HOUSE
2J8 WEST FIFTH STREET BETWEEN ELM AND PLUM
PHONE CANAL 1137-R
yjl(, ESTABLISHED ISSS '
V-- CINCINNATI. Q\.'/
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Boots, Shoes and Rubbers For All Mankind
FALKENSTEIN’S
DAYLIGHT SHOE HOUSE
2J8 WEST FIFTH STREET BETWEEN ELM AND PLUM
PHONE CANAL 1 137-R
ESTABLISHED ISSS
CINCINNATI. O., - —190 -
'
Columbia Baking and Bottling Co.,
WHOLESALE
BAKERS OR BREAD AND' CAKES.
Bottlers of All Kinds of Soft Drinks.
Huntington. W. Vi. 0-0-,
IrvnyJZ^ Jt XL^W. -7 ^77 ^
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OFFICE OF TOWN CLERK
■own. conn., Febr.uary -2a,... 1 9 £
The Great & Only Thomas A Edison, 0^ ^
Orange, H.J. ./£ ^
My Dear Sir:- ^
You have been at the Rockfeller In^ftu^fr ^ j
and mentioned that they had a dog that was keptfwi-Jgpl^^
storage with his heart out for a certain time la^dfaj^thej^
time of the writing was apparently as lively a&
I am very sure it was your writing, but I can not t^?l w tjjjpctfa/
1 saw it> mV
Win you please inform me on this; I take great i retire iftLfn
modern science and am very sorry I misplaced A^t .tjjljtffele.
Feeling already vei'y much indeptded to you, I sin/sa^ely b6pe
I shall be the proud owner of an answer from*1miXFath£r of
Science" Thomas A Edison. v\,
Yours most respectfully.
J v
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R. D. WINSIIIP & COMPANY
i March 14th, 1912.
I-tA
Mr. Thomas. A. Edison, ^ jL\<,
Orange, Usw dorsey^ ^
Dear Sir: U°co^4 ^ ^ ^'f ^
Please pardon tho liberty I am taking. But I
want to see if you can help mo out 'in trying to get rid
of the Sulphur and lead that is in the sample of Cotton ^
Seed Oil that I am sending you .tod^y under separate cov^, f
er- ^ ,
/n Hr CO t/Lc o IvC.jfc^W
. With youruhorough knowledge of electricity,
I't-seems to mo that you could find a way to aP^y °^^:
ricity to this Oil that wouia make the lead and, sulphur
precipitate. ^ oCr ^ *,2^6
to »okolte^krs?s.oSSMo''’'«^
“? «,* au
and four hundred degrees fahrenheit, and if it turns the
Oil black, or if it turns the silver black, we cannot use
the Oil, but if it leaves the silver and oil untouched, it
I, on .isht to
If you woul^VLike to have a larger sample of Oil
I will take great pleasure in .sending it to yo»*"- (v.hci-CvJv
Another thing I would like tdjask and that is what
Another thing I wouia like toyasK anu “““ -
Dimple method could I use to let electricity feo i -S-1,
Could I use a transformer attached to an e^eot^°ld
light fixture, and let the two wires lay in the Oil? V/ould
that have any acti^on^ whateva^on the
ie.CU.tf
VT'U - - K
Jjr&eJL *
K. D. WINSIIIP & COMPANY
If not takinp too much of your valuable time
will you please answer as quick as possible.
Yours very truly,
H.D.V/III3HIP & CO.
aV*
April 3, 1912
J Jw^vv^ C tMtXriSj
/V ttL E*V— *u-U£fc*>*
Ls tr- a* ^
Dear gir^ t,;T<A V*o— -
I appeal to you as an expert.
VO ovu- <*-/v'fAt el>U.nie'Jc « -t'V'A^T •
Wi$l Vou (please tell me if \
C.cnvi*i-»»-/-Cv4 4|i.uh<k( im (lv.« C-WfvC,-)
^ there is any truth |or possibility, of ^
^Truth inj thp statement's contained, in
vuVlw w»i- r^vc-iv*-—* (X-yv *•* i,
the enclosed, newspaper clipping?
r truly yours , C&~
^ Jt'
ity Superintendent of Sc
Thomas A. Edison, Esq.,
Llewellyn Park, Orange, N. J.
^ I r i
i erst. and. that in your engineer
L
K^y \c//> '//or/'-,
April 20, 1912
y
r work you are some-
times interested in new power plants. The writer would like to
ask if you Lav.- ever seriously considered the first oil engine
on the marketjWViich -rivals the steam engine in reliability and
at the same lime far excels any other form of motive power in eoon
omy. We can point to a record of:
1 b.H.P. with a fuel cost of l/6th of a cent per hour.
Ir y,H1 w-uld like to have » copy of engineering data, tests, et
k.,,.slv a) vi ae ar.o itwHl he sent promptly,
showing this economy, K.n.iy aivi-.e
Please c so s-te If you wish to receive any interesting literature
we publish on the subject from time to time.
Yours very truly,
DE LA VERGMJ5 MACHINE CO.
Vice Pres^
$
O^a 3-ffi.c " ~ * X . 'IL^ s“'
^ iUb^y, N.Y. , April 22f(^|-
.1^ et~vC>«.«,o^Boi*f sgClwpifof^r ■ ,-
<*ru*
tdcs-e «=-“ ” ^
cim **** <** ^ i :
Guc^O.~tV' <vi)
Mr. Thomas A. Sells on, " *" •■ I
Vi^vw,
vJ^ \\^t--t-
Llsipllyn Sark, H.J.
Dear Sir,-
You have done so much to make lifer®01,0 worth living,
that I want to v/rite to you about something which you can ao to
add to your long list of helpful achievements. It is for the
housekeeping women that I write. The problem that much concerns
them now is the family ice box. It is a necessity, but it also is
a nuisance. It drips into a waste pan when that is not running o-
ver, either because we forget to empty it on time, or because it
has filled faster than usual on account of the weather. Also, it
is a damp contraption and might be oiled "nasty" at timeB. How,
why can not you, with your great knowledge of chemistry, invent
some sort of a freezing mixture that could be placed daily, or,
better yet , two or three timeB a week, into a receptacle that we
could place in the ice compartment of the ice box, and which would
give off a dry cold that would take the place of the faBt melt¬
ing wet ice? Of course the mixture would have to be cheap and the
container ought not to cost too much, although I think that any
woman would be willing to pay reasonably to get such a boon as
this artificial cooler wo uld be.
Respectfully yours.
^ .A
-r ^ ^
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t>V_.
A cheap device for giving notice or a change
in the temperature or tne sea water, indicating the proximity
of ice, might I fancy oe contained in a cigar shaped enclosure
to he towed astern or a vessel ny a wire, somewhat as is now
the patent ship's log. the apparatus on the principle of
a iirnace thermostat ana Dy means of an electric connection
to ring a oell on the bridge when danger was indicated.
seems to me when it is necessary to cut into asphalt
pavements for the laying of a sunway, for Instance, it might
he done where a trolley or arc light wire was accessible by
constructing a metal sleage with sharp \J shaped runners
the necessary distance apart. These runners to De heated
white hot Dy electricity and drawing the sledge or sleigh
slowly over the course, I imagine that the asphalt would be
Very respectfully yours,
517 V. Onondaga si
vs/
ESTABLISHED
l&J&t
..fir// r/r/f/rrrJ'/'
copying papers, grass bu
TISSUE, WHITE AND CREAI
TISSUE, CARBON ANO MAI
\BLE ADDRESS, “MONDIA, NEW YORK."
Thos. A. Edison,
finer//
, fif/etn'w?* s^C- JJi
L 15th. _ /■// _ 2
MEADOW CROFT.
Llewellyn Park, orange N.Y.
Lear Sir:- ' - - rr~'
Louis H. Seuhert, who haB recently demonstrated to me his
patent hall hearing, says that he called upon you some time ago and that you
were considerahly impressed with this article.
May I ask you for your general opinion as to the value of this hall
hearing, if you remember the incident of his visit, and are you willing to
tell me whether or not you consider it worthy of manufacture.
Anything you may he good enough to say X will of course regard as
strictly confidential.
Thanking you in advance, X am, . .-—j
Very truly yours, /
t,y
' tr
It/*
y' *>”* jf MjT wvsv'v
■ < /v^^ptP:.
ti The National:
, / f $■ . ' /»
$/ ./ V7fVrr. ljfj*Jmas /^Edison, ^ »
vv>
A*J
■y
5/ / '❖ Bin.
yfv aA/
p.i'jy
JP Hast jj^angc.
J A? $?*" *??’• ffl/s
, {/ *$*• y*t#r*V v dr \/ / V
nUve just learned of yt/ur jt? \
^ j" new invention for eliminating electric- \J^ \ y
, V
ity in paper in the press-rooms. Could
you advise me where I can get some in¬
formation ±n reference to this with a
view to the utilization of it in our hand¬
some new building?
Think you will he interested to
know that we are about to become the State
printers for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Wish sonc time when you are in Boston you could
come and see what has been called the model
printing plant of this section.
With best regards, believe me,
Yours sincerely.
jmc— f
LL.S-CZ- ^U-^LUt
ni, J tejlmd,
/l' H/y\ sVis
at Dm i'
ytd +■
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A/nutJiM) m d idkjani
tcrAJJil AdLtnti hnr1 ■
. tyi/wditM. iu jjM 6
MmA/kImpa (Mb fyl wsvr j~t*viv* • - -iri/i/,. .. -.
Ww (ftUAcl A/npAuXli Md till MWC^Uijp^ dncL
bull far /ftuJii mrt.) but pwbnq to- tnl burl
: &t leudjUlm^ di/irtn' fu J tmUtL /yurt
wwju <m . yf^) Mini
b/f iitibhfl Jhdl M'ttfpt, J Ajibfvt sftwuij bi/ynt
h JdU m mflwi
J (W twit fr difurd mj, /m
a/a tjU j Juried d&M, wijyi-v ih
dmud d uwnd, id a t&duL.
PapUIL M.M, mil Ml MW /yyityyMii
dt Abni t bv dirt one d urttilu/yti) duiujj/um ^
J0i Muflcou ffd jjbrt ml ill Amni oj-
■fiftH in urfiitlL J 6M^ Iwd MUk A- AufiUfJ&yi' ■
Itt’dnM An% fir/aiui € Hut, fWn Upt** *n
t!\l Wld/t jwtiW. J /ufiUU/n
IE
.190 -
Mr. Thomas A .Edison ,
Oran.e. K.Y.^" ^ _
D8Rr Slrl way I submit and idea for vonr Considerat<U<to
^7
"7 .
considerate
obtain enorpv dirict from coal.
kalce coal to a fine dust, and inject the dust together
with compresed air into a motor cylinder. Somewhat in the
line of the DissGl Motor.
Bowles, Cal
FRED K. MAKING
C°"' ST5Kay 28tH, 1912.
Thomas A. Edison, Esq.,
o/o national Phonograph Go.,
Orange, I. J.
Dear Sir:-
Under separate cover please find an electrical device,
manufactured in Japan, which can he carried in the pocket.
By pressing one of the button the instrument is used
as a search light and by pressing the other button tho instru¬
ment is used as a cigar lighter.
I have never seen any such device manufactured in
America and take the liberty of suggesting that you place some
such device on the market. It would certainly have a great
sale, especially among those accustomed to use autumobiles.
In case you adopt this suggestion I feel sure that I
can depend upon you to make mo adequate compensation for the^^.
I ^ f I ^ "**
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PIANOS OF THE
HIGHEST GRADE AN
RIGHT PRICES
GRAPHOPHONES
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77 Maurertown. Va„ *UL 1S<JK2 A ® £>'
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ESTABLISH!
*• « Bros. (£n. *• *
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nd Only “WORLD STANDARD" Haidntu
2{l}c &ljate 3)natcument & Mfg. (Eo.
<^Mr^ThoBV
nj Dear Sir
J
5Jtm Ijurk July !
3 A. Edison,
Llewelyn, Orange, 1>.
J5 GHOVlF'h XO 80% BIG U-t* jruui xo*
| yoi* the luesvion I had written y
X I sLw that y ova wore too busy.
•ing to my visit and when you weie unu
S V«r Uw, ‘ \Xl
. * i i somgjjhat embarrassed because of the staff
iV 5 1 . r, i/C ,/^rSWnfi considering that the subject
, of4xplrts thatWT aiT^nd, consio. ^ ^ tfaat goea however,
1 wai oujof your line of 1 ^ gtudie8 I an. interested in
1 Ittteg tb state that the °7°°5hntir,e",a for I urn a mechanical
»• »»
[ Sf^hd .,»d«-d hardnena «»»«.•
; 1 ok Mums t™ »■ « sssi,n.1,5;i5ss-i‘-s;~t.
S^haffe b<4n a moot interesting conversation.
tn
y± —
« Vhn-i3 bf^n a moo -
1 t i NPwu. 1. 1. «■* «V™“ ItTS 2K“»?
i! ii rsess-sss-s.
srCrJs jss
l I enclose.
^ Al„„ do ,o» r.S.rd thj d»"'?Uetr»S: it
to be the some aa the S^^lP^be charged with ions, so that
cathode current which I t>elie r-t autE0f consideration,
OT"“1' the
l»TO.tlE.t5d“L,2to‘yS S”.SoS”.oioi‘”o »»“* tboro»ei.iy.
rassns s\r*.
Snstrument & (£0. page ...M....
Mr. Thomas A. Edison,
shortest possible time.
nopinE that I have not bothered you too much already,
I ;:eg to remain,
Yours
•erytruly^
rjts
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
Ur. Thomas A* Edison,
Orange, IT. J.
KINDLY ADDRESS LETTERS
TO THE COMPANY
MR. WfLUi i«. rOS't
Bear Sirt-
Ur. 0. W. Post is anxious to seoure the '
names and addresses of manufacturers of delioate ^ O'
instruments which show the amount or variation afQ
electricity in the atmosphere and in the eartyOif
such instruments are made. “
He wishes to use this in connection
with his rain making experiments. If you know of any
such parties will you kindly send us the names and
addresses and very muoh oblige,
Peekskill N.Y.
GimV
I
£S£r»t W'aU-S^lLoglBg’l
icing your Work .
Moscow. Russia.
14/37 August 1912.
for troubling you with my letter
Thomas Edisson, Esq.
taking ^
I have decided to write you, being fond of the work which
is here s^okeji^S y)sii& believing that it can be of some service in
the business that it concerns.
in th e’.Htt&lb sure is described the construction of an appara-
tus for making groups of contacts with different periods of separate
contacts, >r>Sb'/- means of pressing on separate keys.
^ 1 this apparatus, working three years with the
idea of arranging a keyboard for direct transmission of the Morse
characters which would be more convenient for manipulation than trans-
... . , p.QOV ' ,
missijpfiNfey 'the ordinary Morse key ( XVrt ).
To what extent this aim is attained by my apparatus, it is not
for me to Judge before you but I will tell you only what I have done:
I have arranged an apparatus (photograph of which is enclo¬
sed) as per the enclosed plans, for lack of time, with only 11 cha¬
racters. With it I made a trial of transmission at 19 kilometres.
I send you a piece of the tape with the characters received on theN
receiving apparatus during thlB transmission (at a speed of 3 cha-\^
racters to the second). The characters on the tape have not come out
clear because they were badly made in the model.
I am sending you also a section model of the apparatus,
which comprises one key (letter F). As you see, the construction is
very simple,- almost all the parts can be made by stamping.
On the 8-th October I9II (new otyle ) I applied for patent
In Russia (without "THE APPLIANCE TO PRESS UPON THE KEYS AT WILL » )
-Certificate N2 49832, 8-th October I9II.
I have not applied for patent anywhere else.
I taKe the liberty or offering my worlc for your attention.
If you find that this apparatus can be applied practically ar.d If
you wish to undertake anything for Its realisation then I am enti¬
rely at your service.
Here in Russia it is very difficult to carry out anything
new as here both official institutions and private persons are accus¬
tomed to utilise only what is already Known and already tried by
others ; they have a great distrust of anything new.
I do not wish to trespass further on your time to relate to
you any of my other worlc In this provlance, and in conclusion I
again apologise for troubling you.
With best wishes,
I am, Dear Sir, Yours respectfully ^
p.S. I am a Bulgarian ; I have been in Russia only four years and
am employed as an electro-technlc .
Russia, Moscow. Mjasnitzlcaja, N5 60, KV.N2 14.
N. Kapanoff.
Adress :
If you find it necessary to apply for patent in your country,
then please inform me of this, if it is not already too late.
(The application, as you Know, will only he legal if filed not latter
than the 6-th October (new style) of this year). I have already pre¬
pared plans and description, which I can send you, together with the
necessary testimonial, Immediately.
Perhaps it will he interesting to you to have some informa¬
tion with reference to the application of various systems of tele¬
graph apparata here in Russia:
a) The most widely used is of course apparatus Morse.
h) Weatston's apparatus is used to some extent (more in
Siberia, generally in Asiatic Russia).
c) The Hughe's apparatus is going out use.
d) The Bodot apparatus is used in very limited quantities
(complete installation of two stations of the "quadruplex Bodot
costs 36000 francs).
e) The Murray apparatus is not used.
Generally expensive apparata, which need careful attantion,
have no chance of extensive use here in Russia. The majority of Rus¬
sians have not the ability to apply themselves diligently to mecha¬
nism, as the people in your country are accustomed to do (I saw a
telegraphist tie his cigarette to the regulator of a Morse apparatus
in order to slacken the pace), therefore a simple apparatus similar
to that mentioned above would be widely adopted here.
FLOYD F. TODD
E TESTING SPRCIAMS
M
Forest City, Pa. September 12, 1912.
Mr. Thomas A. Edison, ^ ^ ' 3fS^roaeWj
East Orange, N • J • ^ ^ ( ^
V.’hy is it that manu requires two eyes so situated that
he may focus them in unison upon objects looked at, in order^p see
in relief. q^^Lsxm, e>SJL- -Le-dL^
I have discovered th© secret of Binooular Vision, and
have produced a perfect relief or solidity of effect when viewed
with a single eye. ^
By a certain prooess or method I oan^produce a scene
upon a view finder, as viewed with one eye, so^fetrrtt-appears out *
in a perfect relief or Steroscopic effect.
I have every reason to believe that this effect may be
reproduced on the regular moving pictures scene tt- upon a single
you understand, Mr. Edison, that photographs as well as
Moving Pictures are void of relief or solidity of effect. While they
have a certain ammount of Perspective — the true relief as viewed
with the eyes naturely or through a steroscope is entirely lost.
They tell me you are always interested in new ideas and
discoveries, and if you feal interested in this matter 1 will be glad
to take this up further with you, provided I might be assured of your
personal attention.
Yours very truly.
• ft/te
Optometrist
HALBERT P. HILL,
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS AND MANUFACTURERS
HILL APPARATUS
30 CHURCH STREET,
Gentlemen:
Some twelve
fifteen years ago, there waa marketed a
thermo dynamic pile, used or intended to be used by the telegraph
companies to do away with primary battery for their local circuits.
This couple or pile was heated on a gas jet, and I under¬
stand that your company bought the outfit and took it off the market.
I am making some experiments and would like to get one of those
couples, if you still have any of them. If you can furnish me with
a sample, and advise me as to the patent condition, and what royalty
your company would ask for this equipment.
I appreciate the diet that this dates back ten or twelve years
and will have to be referred to several departments for reply* but the
matter is quite urgent, and I believe it will pay you to take the mat¬
ter up, and let me hear from you at your earliest convenience.
I would like to have the following information:
Can you furnish the original outfit as marketed, and at what
price? What is the output in capacity, volts and amperes, and at what
or in other words, how many B. T. U's per Watt?
temperature,
Thomas A. Edison Co.>
Oct. 4th, 1913.
Thanking you in advance for this information, we
Yourn respectfully,
HALBERT P. HILL, INC.
HPH/ETO.
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Dear Sir,
X expect shortly to issue £
Feasibility of an universal Alphabet': After n
careful study of the phonetics of the world ' sNrtiltured languages- -
thanks to the facilities offered to me at the library of Congress
by Mr .11 Putnam and at the Smithsonian by Mr .Scudder— I have come
to the conclusion that such an alphabet presents no insuperable
difficulty and that its vocal fixation and subsequent disser.inatior
belongs properly to your invention-- the graphopuone.
It presents no longer any difficulty that should deter
us from so necessary a step which is bound to come sooner or later
We certainly do not wish to admit that we are still
for such an undertaking. It can be so and it should
over .that u word .written, no matter from what language should leave-
no question in the mind of the reader as to its proper pronunciation
or accent. How is it now? le there one
you would accept as authority on the pi
names occurring in a daily newspaper? .
dona by having a simple alphabet without diacritical murks, except
one to point out the accent of that word, but with a letter for
every well-defined sound, using the Homan, if you wish, as a basis,
since this is gaining the most ground.
i uncivilized
so the world
in all America whom
iciation of even the
it can be so. It can
X have already been able to arrange the vorel sounds , the most
difficult portion therefore, in a soientifio and graphic manner, that
leaves no doubt behind as to the correct sound of any vowel ir. question
X now wish to ash the question: Can the graphophone be so altered
as to admit readily of setting the same at any particular place or
sound and to prolong and repeat that soud at libitum? If this can be
done/ it will prove the means of a closer union between all the nations
of the world and will do more for the World's Peace movement than all
the millions Hr. Carnegie has devoted to that purpose. It can be done.
Of the 4000 or more existing languages there are less than a hundred
cultured languages endowed with a literature .only these require our
consideration. Of these only, the sounds collected , fixed by letter
and redistributed will form an alphabet for each nation and a complete
universal alphabet for each nation's scholars while the graphophone
will be the abiding record and the type as the platinum metre in Paris
is the type in exact measurement". This means for you a number of grapho-
phones in every nation ana their normal schools.
hoping that such charges in the graphophone can readily be
Very respectfully yours
/jl// G S'G'
©ttauia SCattaaa (Ear Wnrka
Mr. Thomas A. Edisoi
' ? " t ( 'ur 1 “^WM- ^ Uvt
^uinu.
Please note carbon copy o^ietteranclosed, which I have apnt ^
> of the Universities hoping me B0tae jipf ormatlon. ^ ^
Of course and beyond the sk&^^FaldoubjI ^u^could efilve this
Of course and beyond the t
problem easily and simply if brought to youratifent*l°i -
time and inclination to give it a very little thou^ti^.___--- ^
If you have not the time or 'inc f^nali o^co^ld you refer it
ie most likely to help me? "
Yours very truly.
©ttauia Kansas (Ear Works
(Ottawa. Kansan Nov. 23 1912
Hr. Thomas A. Edison,
Orange, N.J. Exploration of the bottom of bodies of
clear water t
Dear Sir : — - <hhhhhhhhhhhhhj«
Please accept my thanks for your letter of Nov. 19th. in reply
to mine of 14th.
If you can possibly remember names of experimenters who saw
objects in 120 feet of water at night I would bo very much obliged
for the information so I can get in touch with them. I have written to
all the Universities and Technical Schools to learn what they know
on this subject but so far vour letter is the only encouragement I
have had to proceed.
Yours very truly.
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Any information you can favor me with along this line will he greatly ap¬
preciated and thanking you in anticipation.
Yours rospocifully.
Stamped
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Edison General File Series
1912. Articles (E-1 2-03)
This folder contains correspondence requesting Edison to write articles,
letters from journalists seeking to interview him, and unsolicited
correspondence relating to articles about Edison or his inventions. Many of
the letters bear marginalia by Edison. Among the documents for 1912 are
Frank W. Taussig's review of Edison, His Life and Inventions in the Quarterly
Journal of Economics (August 1912) and a draft letter by Edison to the St.
Louis Republic concerning his alkaline storage battery. The correspondents
include longtime Edison associate Francis Jehl; Pierre V. R. Key, music critic
for the New York World ; journalist Edward Marshall; Russian-born writer Ivan
Narodny; and A. Ratner, an engineer and publicist in St. Petersburg.
Approximately 30 percent of the documents have been selected. The
unselected material consists of items which received a perfunctory response
or no reply from Edison.
Scientific American
yixfrftf sc. co. k/o
January 8, 1912.
Mr. Thomas A. Fdison,
Orange , M . J.
Dear Sir:-
The Scientific American would like to publish a ra
complete article on your Concrete Furniture, as soon as you are
ready to give it attention. Could you tell us approximately
:essary information?/;
va it}i^u|n^
4 ;f J-c-C
Mr. ThomaB A. Edison, ^
Hanlo Park, New Jersey . 'J>tf
Dear Sir:-
UTould you kindly tell me if anything came of your "auto¬
matic stores" idea? (Times, May 15, 1910). I liked it. Have you
any printed matter on city markets? I am collecting data on the
subject, from this country and Europe.
Hespeotfully,
1 |uJ" "CtC d
rO-ffer, / ~~H+~L> ••*•£■■ A,. ;A> r,C,
Uf" ,4» ^ ' A/* '~*&~"
~r v,-,..*^ i-^^~
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Ah a v S’ *<rR y,>-. 4&
a' -If -v-e-'Lc- e^'i /,«k>^4-
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^Aw «rf ■:ffcU'U.ut {/& «& W/v /«- /!«-
***- O-Ia^u^, A /A, /-V, /A y t~fy -<c
'r-^-ft-WV ^^A-<y -O' f**-Uj/' > / «A £*rC, j /fie/ u-A-6 -a»v; ctt
'Ou^A-a/i'AZ (r£ •-/» 1-d^,' ^
/,> . ? a ' - /;Aa„ y
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'l“' '^‘'^‘-+' "Un-Ay SI +-A-L*1£a_a ~-sf AA-t-LC . 1 A lA tS - /V,
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
%0XXajuu~<tS l .
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
rA*^°
March 25, 1912.
Bear Mr. S' i eon:
Your, letter saia you would he ready for me In
"one week, or two weeks", hut I've been 111. Today
was my first whole day out for many weeks. '.Vheri may
I oo me over?
Thomas A. S ison, Hs.-,uire,
The Edison laboratory.
Orange ,
Sew Jersey.
)ei\ely
~7}% y]'\MMwc4r^flr,
^ 0W~~
M/i/J 'k’Y^A d-#JU\ nr- ^4; shs
TtiPb A^ fenrktt rbMA-
mA oJ/W^n-
%^vr rU^\t
^ujyin^uV. w&u4\ _
kw/nviMb-t^
o\^/3s$ wryiist/r (xi~avQ-~*
_ ~5^uUSjJ-U
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
BIOGRAPHICAL DATA FOR PUBLICATION EXCLUSIVELY BY THE
INTERNATIONAL WHO’S WHO
PUBLISHING COMPANY, 1158 Broadway, New York City, U. S. A.
TL Who’s Who is now in all the leading Libraries and Universities of the world, including
Berlin1, ImperiS’ Li™wy°ofaRuMia*UOxford>aCarnbridget,Han'a»'din YalV^Princeto^an^McGulTunivenSe”,
Public and Carnegie Libraries, etc., etc.
//, Place ol
Ilrth: ftlcfa**,, .
a.
7>Lo /fia v ,
Positions Occupied, Etc. / e*>p***~
vMapa^casfMv ***
„ ■ Se£*cp.*fJl. opareUw / ‘essp*~s~(a~el***J a.
(dra-cicjes' </'e“u=7'-
j^cA.
ky
to**1
4)^v is* , w
The last time X had uic honor altd'
. ’as at the conclusion of the
JU "'alclorf, as you were about to go do'vn 011 the olStftty*'* .SJ'v.C/l /
> a cl: whatf tine this coinin'- week say I have the u 3^^%,,., } (j\
inference with you in Orance^r jrho^can^^aeot yo« ^ V° <" i
Thomas A. Edison,
■ dear Mr. Ed is 01
f speaking with yo
)t iit
natters'to speak" to you about' in connection with
entirely, and not any favors. /;
I want to make a suggestion regarding uncaps k.able,
by survivors of the pa s s enger s. °
Ky surrestion is that all these life boats, of the new
life boat from its davits.
„ *. » i s,rc?«Ls sKf^SsT
bf-Sno^S.”! 'hlllVuir^SI $Ly M MS? Is «§ ifrfirlHf
bv survivors. so that shipTseil^ this peculiar color of light will
Sow that it means a wrecking party survivors,
6*»r -^^nlTonT^r^^^p^^ tter iec °o^d furnish
Woulf lerovfabsolutely effective' andte ^^a^onfhlaflifiht^t
the very highest power would be very effective.
crss s*as 3sgis&;*s=s,2 s r^u^r;
s?oC»r.f is Insivf 2?irs srs”
^"LSSSS.^SS- * additional lives might have teen saved.
««il3sSsK^
would^enabl^the'passengers to get away with the life boats in
safety.
I believe th.t UU*£ SS^'ttS’Jiopt*
S'Mfffi MHpjfoi s,*SiS e fi,“
SS^X fSHJEVS e“^“e^.=u X See « —
and see you.
for tl*rW%SrTi1rSKn^S‘«S»°S|JS.JSil;SL?.rI
- ~ tM
e.„u.ebt.^rb?ypK»ssir^sf.sr^.;:-iMr5s;”a''u
Your Mew York newspaper friend.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
:*x»ei sopy
' fu^torato of the First Baptist Churoh
at nights tosrn, B. J.
“0. P. Eaofesa, t. D.
To Hon. Edvard tauterbaoh,
How Tort City.
Bear Siri- „ .. writes no that you uro personally
..P^w **& Si« “ »£f °r 1“11S ““
hero, share ha resided for years* WDS ono Df our foraaoot
ciUaono, a very *a& c^to
KOB Erur.onich, Canada , *h«ra C . w by all — a man of
Sg^SSrS SS SfSi^g SJS&^W
:.»:rurron van twledfroruU.e E£gl\eU£££n»B funeral was tho larfioct in
la tho larroot edifice hero. uv. itl„0I, an© next sabbath
tie history of thlc seetion for f ^ cotorial service in tho Kothodiot
noc-na. ,,r> ^VVeron** mother sac a pioun, devoted Christian
aoiam bolovod by all. respootfuiiy.
(Si •■nod) ■
, rSachss
ilote
sss°dsS"irn ssbsSssks K°«r5JJ^^uS«<»
his vary highly. 3WS»r<llQnu0ff^h^Ipiviai^*of the tho Pennsylvania S.S.
Ui&tbtosn is on thv X£boy tivioxon opo sovo;1 cl-lUrCha®
half nay botveon Saw , Yo^n m lA ^ m-p^ra to?' sonool. The town io in
sfroSVoSSf iS“hS SlSSS« iSX «@v »«*., **“•»
SIS ;S?»£w»»» Miv.r«iw.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
NEWARK ADVERTISER: THURSDAY. JUNE 8. 1905
would certainly have done myself the honor of calling upon you
before but for the dreadful Titanic disaster. In working
30 hours with but one hours sloop in my nows paper capacity
in the interests of my dear, distinguished and now departed
friend and hero the Col. John Jacob Astor, I gave up a weeks
time to this matter. I would be pleased to avail myself
of your kind mention of the fact that you are usually in
your office and call upon you on Uonday of next week.
The movement I have suggested in my letter to you
regarding the Ocean crafts I am pleased they liave met with
your endorsement. I have not mentioned these matters to
anyone but yourself. I see that the United States Govern¬
ment lias offered large sums of money for the most improved
plans and methods for life saving, and to make Ocean traffic
safer.
Permit me to trust that you are enjoying your usual
good health and may you long live to be a blessing to man
kind is the sincere wish of your newspaper friend and
adminer.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
13th May, 1912.
Thoa. A. Edison Esq.,
Edison Laboratory,
p;fv
iO (»JL, C. \|Ovl
L<vto>Q /vecfcta
s >cLa^| ■
£«>«■
O-
THOMAS B. DONOVAN
Gditar “Bern ese Oberland Journal " .C
(Winter and Summer EdilSii)
BWI^Kp.
Telephone: Interlaken 9.
. A. Edison,
West Orange ,
Hew Jersey, U.S.A
°! '
Dear Sir*you may remember. that during your Visit to Interlaken
last summer, you were kind enough to receive me one evening at
.your hotel, for the pxirpose of an interview. I now venture to
address you on a subject of some importance to you and to a wide
circle of people in Europe, being assuredjthat my l^ter will be
■ considered with the same courtesy which I met with personally.
You will probably be surprised to/learn that an utterance
purporting to have been made by youhAs been utilised by a com¬
bination of Tyrolese hotels and inserted in the daily press as
a sensational advertisement. >he advertisement reads as follows:
"In my opinion, the Tyrol is the most beautiful country
of Europe.
It is absolutely/elightful for a motorist to be able to enjoy
the magnificentmountain panorama from the splendid roads. -
I believe this opinion to be shared by all my countrymen, who,
I notice, come in great numbers to the erand Tyrol, which I
d_j__s o 3
regar/as more beautiful than Switzerland.
1 JUJL+-- _
I should not have bothered you with this matter, but for the
' faot that it has been discussed in the press, and the bad taste
of comparing the two countries to the disadvantage of the one
in an advertisement has been commented upon. The using of
your name for such a questionable purpose has' also been severely
condemned ,' and the hoteliers in question have been "hauled over
the ooalB" for utilising for such an advertisement an utterance
made in an interview with the press - or perhaps not made at all.
As a considerable amount of ill feeling has been caused in
Switzerland by thife widely spread advert isementjalluding in dis¬
paraging terms , to this country, the expression from you of your
disapproval of its publication would be greatly appreciated.
1 should be happy to forward it to the proper quarters . I may
mention that the interview you so kindly awarded me was used for
‘purely literary purposes, and not for those of propaganda.
With many apologies for troubling you in the matter, and
anticipatory thanks for an early reply,
I beg to remain, dear Sir,
Youtb very truly.
(fcturQAct }l/ia/u>lta££ —•
!b*io- W. 23^ 3*.,
"Xiug l^trvft &-£y
: vu Im.U. y,G>. S/id v , 8 Q, kt ,
E-Cr ,.
THE WESTERN UNION.JTELE0RAPH; COMPANY
' 26,000 OFF.CESJN
™?4hu“ ^UNKEPE*T?Dd»IE3aAx!'E.°^J i< dellratO b, of ib»„»4er. u^Jer Ho eoddUlon. n.m«l Q E LV , D EBE BHOOfts. GENERAL M«H»OtR:
Received at_^ - — - — — ■ •
Patch flW vork W U ' •' ' — — - “
To thob a rniaow ' — — — - -- . . ■
ED I SOM LABORATORY _ _ _ _ _
ORANGE N.0» _ -, • - —
- - - - murmnnw MAY I ^^OUT THURSDAY ANSWER
^4N0-4-AMJlU«_EQR - TOWRWO^ - -
‘ EDWARD MARSHALL 12 36 A.i7
’"'' ‘‘W"‘ * ^.jU«**£«e4
iTRtti^r -
aj3$e.(« dpa oUt
16th May, 1912.. ’
trc-r-
1
My dear Ur. Edison,
You ought not to wait , in announcing the now
diao record by means of a newspaper artiolo, «r
your regular advertising campaign to begin. After
this campaign has begun, the matter will not be
treated as news, whereas, if you present it as
another of your discoveries, ti» matter will get
anormous publicity of a value rtiicih paid advertising
oouia not have. Some newspapers might shy at ”•
hut ninety percent of them would handle it as straight
news. Combined with an amplification of what you
told me about the falsity of many great ■ ™ioes an4
your investigations in measuring the vibrations,
there should be an interesting article, which would^
undoubtedly be given space. >
Very sincerely yours.
bujtH*) Uc6cJiAJi4'//
Thos. A. Edison Esq.,
Orange ,
Hew Jersey.
■ fV \
U!> ■ '
24th May, 1912.
My dear Mr. Edison,
I await your convenience on tiie/2fijmograph
matter. In the meantime, another matter has
oome forward of very great importance Wo both
you and myself - really of the grfea,test
importance. If you will let me /know when you
— Sill let) have fifteen minutes, i/shall be very
glad to lay it before you. It jtif LI interest
you deeply.
Very sincerely yoyii
Thos. A. Edison Esq.,
Edison laboratory,
Orange, K. J.
MEADOW CROFT.
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[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
EnvAHD MahsiiaiiL
loth June, 1912.
My dear Mr. Meadoworoft ,
I received the hook this morning.
Thanks very ir.uoh indeed. I will find
out where Mr. Carnegie is today. My
autographed edition will he among my most
valued volumes.
Very sincerely yours,
( P
Vf. H. Meadowordft Eso.,
The Edison laboratories.
Orange, Hew Jersey.
't-M.
Mr. Thomas A. Edison,
Edison Laboratory,Orange,N.J.
My dear Mr.Edison:-
June 26th.l912
. yJU* ts^Ld- y
(Jykzt c<- A ^ ii- w,ia &
y «*. kai^v^i %**■> t
largestr and best Hungari anneTfBpagerytha^ ^
*— i^^ki clTyoiTare qu^tedPto have said
VaVi^vrti^e^ereyin "thi s \i
One of the
Pesti Hirlap.have brought out a notice
to a reporter of the New York Sun,that you
woman- that was yoked, to- an ox in' ploughing.. &. TheY report
sayf this woman yoked as described above near the Royal Palao^t _
and have taken offence that Such a false faot Should be circulated in America .
I know that you did not say ap to anyone, and know too that no
wheres in Hungary are women ever yoked to the plough. I enclose you a leaf
of the Pesti Hirlap of June 22nd.that contains the accuSation;and I have
had a German translation made which I enclose also for I know you have men
at your office that understand German;
In order to satisfy public opinion I think it may be well if you would
write a flat contradiction that you never uttered Buoh words and that your
idea of the country here has always been expressed otherwise.
With best regards to you and yours,! remain, ^ -p s lA* o>t-o
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
(Ungsrisches Anderiken filr Edison.-) Laut Meldung unseres New-Yorker Be-
rlchterstatters hat Jene Ne.chricht , daos Hofrat Stefan v.Fodor ein lcunst-
voll ausgestattetes Album fiir Edison herstellen liess zum Anderiken en Je-
ne Te.ge,welche der weltberuhmte Amerilcaner vorlges Jehr in Budapest und
Fozsony verbra.chte , e ini germao a en gemiscbte Gefuhle erweckt.-Ein unci das
andefe Budapester Blatt hat an diese Nachrlcht auoh Jene Bemerkung ge-
fiigt, class sich. an den ausgezeiohnet gelungenen Aufnehmen.Yfelche die ochon-
sten Furikte von Pozsony und Budapest zeigen, jeclenfalls nicht nur tier Uei—
ster, sondern a.uch seine zahlreichen e.merikenisch.en Besucher 'ergotzen. wer-
den.Das ist eben,wovor sioh ciie amerike.nlscb.en Ungern eher fOrchten.als
dass sie es wttnsobten.Edison bet sich namlich.wie vrir es in der Hammer
vom 2 , Jfinner 1912 erwahnten.seinerzeit vom Newyork Sun interwievieren
las sen bezuglich seiner europ&ischen Erfebr ungen und demals tisohte er
dem aimerikanischen Publikum zuerst auf .class :,,clie sohlechteste Saohe,
die er auf cUeser Welt seh.cUe Ofner konigliche Burg ist .welohe jeden-
falls im Gederike.lbum enthe.lten ist und welche desbe.lb die sohlechteste
Sache ist, well Edison nicht sehr weit von diesem Sobe.tzpalast angebllch
elne ins Joch gespannte Frau sah.wie sie mit einem Ochsen zusammen cien
Pflug zog.Seit clame.ls heben a.uch enclere BIStter geschrieben, ciass slob,
die Hand Edlsons immer in eine Faust ballt.wenn er die Ofner lc6nigll-
cbe Burg erwahnt, letzhin aber.ke.um vor einem Hona.te.ha.t er im Behmen ei-
nes Interwiew die von ihm angebllch. gesehene, ins Joch. gespannte ung,Fra.u
a.uch a.bzeichnen le.ssen.Wenn wir uns nicht tauschen.prengte die Ofner Burg
im Hintergrunct des eigentumlichen Bilcies .Wie unser Berich.tersta.tter er-
fahrt.erhielt Edison schon mehrere protestirende Brief e in ciieser Angele-
genheit.doch umsonst.Bie ins Joch. gespannte ungenlsche Frau ist ihm zur
wehrhnftigen Wehnidee gewor den, hi e von lasst er nicht nach. unci hat er hie2»-
iiber in den letzten Monaten sich. mehr geaussert.e.ls uber seine letzten
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
Erfindungen.Unci Del 00 einer Gelegenheit lot er immer neuerdings unci
neuerdings e.ufgebre.cht gegen das glanzende Mnigllohe P0.le.i0 dee elen-
cien exmen Lejnues.Unter solchen Umst&nden 1st es e.uf 0 Sichere eu neh-
men,cte.0S Bdison entweder e.uoreiosen vrird das Bild der IcBniglichon
Burg e.u0 dem Album, Oder e.ber nur deshalb dexinnen belie. It en wird.wenn
er dasselbe seinen G&sten und den Reportern seigtjwelohe letzterer Pe.ll
eehr webrscheinlich istjdeaiit er binsufiigen lcenn.de.ss nelie zu diese®
Pe.l8.0t so gepfltigt wird.dass men einen Ocbsen und eine Pre.u zuse.mmen
ins Jocb spannt.
SLAVIC- AMERICAN LEAGUE
J ^
^ ' P *
f' new
ty***
Thomas Edison Esq.
Llevelin Park, East Orange-
Uy dear Ur. Edison-
I have been asked by the Mew York American and
the rest of Hearet’s papers, to write an intimate
psychologio and philosophic article about your views
of life, science, progress, soul and religion, as I
have done recently and have begun to do, for the
periodicals. With this in view X wish to visit you
any time convenient for you, as soon as possible. I
hope that, you will remember my visit seme years ago
with my lady friend to you and Mrs. Edison, and I
still remember several of your expressions on the
philosophic subjects I touched. The interviews, as
a rule, are superficial and on timely subjects, but
X have taken a different point, and treat them from
the subjective point of view. Hoping that you will
not refuse my request, I beg to remain
Kost sinoerely yourB
y?
Tipton, Iowa, July 27, ^ '
k lV '- .
4 ,/ i„l' /
■y / . >
V* <*•
Mr. Thomas A. yd is on,
We st Orange , !T . J .
Near Sir:-
I have just read an article entitled, "How Can a Man Keep Well
and Grow Old.!! "Thomas A. Kdison Tells Why He Is Never Sick."
By P.ichard Cole Newton, M. D.
I am preparing a discourse on the Human Machine and while I
should of course feel at liberty to quote what has been published in
your words in the article referred to, I will thank you very much if
you are disposed to do bo, to send me some observations that may
be in your mind on the subject and that you will permit me to quote
from you. I could not hope to take any great amount of your valuable
time but would thank you for whatever you are willing to say to me.
Yours very truly,
August Twenty-fith.
1912
Dear Mr. Mead owcr oft:
Your note of July Twenty-sixth has been pursuing
hb about the land and has just caugit up with me. X had
a very dishonorable and neglectful young secretary, who
has done mahy things he shouldn't and left undone many
things he should have done. The mailing to you of the
marked copy cf "The Boy's life of Edison" must have
been one of the latter. I know just That I marked,
however, and it won't tain me long to run through my other
copy of the book and mark it. X iiall -Siennot send it
to you but nring it or* to you with my own fair hands
and wooden leg.
I'm going abroad in the faLl. Be thinking of ary
service which you or Mr. Edison msy wish to have me do you
over there. I shall takB in most of the larger cities
and to do something for you both or either one of you
would add pleasure to the trip.
Since rely yours ,
William A. Meadowcroft, Esquire,
The Edison laboratories.
Orange, H. J.
X M* a;e«W*^
‘ lUttf- +»wi* l^-*f 3
r"
12. v- U<
September Eighth,
1912^ ^tCC lv.
:i
*****
vJknrii*** £\£& Y (' ^ ^
De£x Ijr*. Sdis<m: ^ i
x 3ust —a ,0 town MH
my neck in the police scan al ever s}.nce ’ HrreJLs^Jiote from
Printers ’ Ink, a very high-class traae^P^blic^fc^m^ Th^e |j| y^
'.vould particularly like to say somethi^^tM^Tic^that^is, J
unless, among your manifold Ij^erarte ^eTeJmay he *6na v/l^cll would
he helped hy a statement c^this*4‘rl in a tradT^icalion of^thal ’
sort - I won’t bother you
vending machines I'll come over 4s»so^n asthe police trials get star¬
ted. **•
’ !5y God, the rottenness of this town.* I ha. to known before that
it was vile, hut nor; how great its true stench is^JtiTT se.ti listen¬
ing to divers matters at Police Eea ouarters, a^ce^ly, it occurred
to me that the usefulness of men like you and Justice) doff does not
stop with the inventions which you mate or tte^pefisions which he
gives upon the bench. You are leaven for a^jfig^ jviciosuness ,
which, without your earnestness and decency would sink, utterly
Siijcetily, v
Hau^
^>r°f. aatjte. uC/eW
*r
¥ *
3 _ CcxaaJ^- Ot^pjL*. C4JXS&. cetc. &M- ^<jul^4 t —
yc^Cc. A®»-c -az, yuLa a
***c.££, yooc. Aw>ott^ -<Je^c3 -<^/- /o
^ <-vi/&, ov AsujiaslaJ. +6Lol{- <£«-
•^/uo.m. <!/• a» -7. <*>.
'far^Ji-Altaod) *XAy-aiAT^L^
"V /2-/^
-aUi*.
<*•*«• - - 4a _ _ <XA<^z.
Jiaac^A-a4a*.ui.cj .. _ _
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
&*£ rc/A
REVIEWS
DYER AND MARTIN’S LIFE OF EDISON1
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
REVIEWS 777
in the best combination, the qualities that make the ideal
organizer of industry. He has drive, the energy of a titan,
an unfaltering persistence, a capacity for enlisting the
enthusiasm of his followers; daring, too, and willingness to
assume the risks of novel enterprises. But he is not an
intuitive calculator, not an adept in financial management
nor quick in financial reckoning. In lus early days, when
the first large lump payment for a successful device was
made to him, he thought he might get for it S3000, possibly
$5000; his breath was taken away when he was offered
$40,000. And tho he was then already in business on his
own account as electrical engineer and contractor, and
indeed had dabbled in undertakings of his own from boy¬
hood, he received from this transaction his first check, and
knew so little of business ways that the drawer of the check
and the bank teller were able to amuse themselves by paying
over to him piles of small bills which he carried home and
guarded all night. The next morning the joke was carried
no further; the victim was told how to deposit his check
and open a bank account (1, 133). At a period considerably
later he received by cable an offer of “ 30,000 " for his in¬
terest in an invention; he accepted, but it was not until the
draft arrived that he learned that he was to receive not
30,000 dollars, but 30,000 pounds sterling (1, 185). At still
another time he was offered $100,000 for on invention, and
accepted; but, wishing to be assured of n settled income for
a period in the future, stipulated that the sum was to be
paid in instalments of 86000 a year spread over 17 years;
a mode of payment which was, of course, agreed to with
alacrity by the other party. A second offer of $100,000,
for another invention, was shortly after accepted on the
like stipulation, and with the same ignorance of tho pecuni¬
ary worth of deferred payments (1, 180, 183). There are
abundant other indications through these volumes that
book-keeping and accounting were neglected by Mr. Edison
and were not readily understood by him. (See, for example,
1, 135.) If he prosecuted his enterprises to financial success,
it was because his other qualities made that of pecuniary
■ negligible.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
778 QUARTERLY JOURNAL OP ECONOMICS
On the other hand, it cannot be said that money has been
indifferent to Mr. Edison, or that his energies have been
applied without influence from the money-making ambition.
His first patent (1869) was for a vote-recorder; its fate is
interesting in more ways than one.
The purpose of this particular device was to permit a vote in the
National House of Representatives to he taken in a minute or so,
complete lists being furnished of all members voting on the two
sides of any question. Mr. Edison, in recalling the circumstances,
says: "The invention when completed was taken to Washington.
I think it was exhibited before a committee that had something
to do with the Capitol. The chairman of the committee, after
seeing how quickly and perfectly it worked, said: ‘ Young man, if
there is any invention on earth that we don’t want down here, it is
this. One of the greatest weapons in the hands of a minority to
prevent bad legislation is filibustering on votes, and this instrument
would prevent it.’ ” (Pp. 101-102.)
His biographers remark elsewhere: —
From the time of boyhood, when ho first began to rub against
the world, his commercial instincts were alert and predominated in
almost all of the enterprises that he set in motion. This character¬
istic trait had grown stronger as he matured, having received, os
it did, fresh impetus and strength from his one lapse in the case of
his first patented invention, the vote-recorder. The lesson he
then learned was to devote his inventive faculties only to things
for which there was a real, genuine demand, and that would sub-
fortunate circumstance that this lesson was learned at the outset
of his career as an inventor. He has never assumed to be a phi¬
losopher or " pure scientist.” (P. 239.)
It is to be noted, also, that he seems to have been im¬
mensely concerned with keeping his intentions secret until
he had secured the protection of the Patent Office (I, 273).
Mr. Edison’s pecuniary career has been checkered. He
made a fortune in connection with the incandescent light,
— tho not from the patents, but from connected manufac¬
turing enterprises (II, 661, note). He lost everything in
the magnetic iron ore venture, as is noted below; and he
became rich again from sundry inventions and enterprises
REVIEWS 779
of later date, — cement-making, talking-machines, moving
picture-machines, and so on. I quote again: —
All his lifo he has had a great deal to do with finance and com¬
merce, and as one looks at the magnitude of the vast industries
he has helped to create, it would not be at ail unreasonable to
expect him to be among the multi-millionaires. That ho is not is
due to the absence of certain qualities, the lack of which Edison is
himself the first to admit. Those qualities may not be amiable,
but great wealth is hardly ever accumulated without them. If he
had not been so intent on inventing lie would have made more of
his great opportunities for getting rich. If this utter detachment
from any love of money for its own sake has not already been
illustrated in some of tho incidents narrated, one or two stories
arc available to emphasise tho point. (P. 661.)
One of the stories adduced relates to a loan requested
from the City Bank in Now York, and not granted. Tho
president said to Mr. Edison, “ What you want is a partner ” ;
a remark which seems to have been taken by Mr. Edison
os an intimation of a design to get an illegitimate slice of
his gains. Whether or no the remark was sinister, it seems
to have had its justification. There is abundant indication
that he was an erratic person in business matters; and he
may have needed a partner quite as much as Watt needed
Boulton.
Mr. Edison’s iron-ore enterprise (narrated in chapter IX)
illustrates not only the ups and downs of his pecuniary
career, but the spirit in which he took hold of his ventures.
He conceived the idea that the vast deposits of low grade
magnetic iron-ore in the Eastern region could be profitably
utilized in competition with the Lake Superior ores. He
bought in New Jersey a largo tract of land — “a mountain
of rock containing only one-fifth to one-fourth magnetic
iron” — and proceeded to tear down the mountain, grind
the rock to powder, and extract the iron. The venture
was conducted with extraordinary energy. A village was
created at the site, crushing machinery of novel type in¬
vented, a magnetic separator devised, elaborate apparatus
installed for putting up the ore in briquets suitable for
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
780 QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS
transportation and smelting. Doubtless, there is no reason
for discounting what is said in these pages about tho inven¬
tive and organizing genius shown. But a commercial 1
failure the enterprise did prove. Possibly the explanation ;
lies, as the biographers state, in the unexpected cheapness I
of the competing Lake Superior ores; and it may be that in
the future the Eastern ores will again be utilized on Mr. j
Edison’s plans. But the fact remains that in this case the
inventor was his own backer, embarked his entire fortune,
and lost everything.
None the less, tho spirit in which this very enterprise
was pushed, and tho failure finally accepted, shows that
money-making was not the only thing that stirred the man.
He lost in the venture the fortune of a couple of millions
which he had made from the electrical ventures afterwards i
consolidated in the General Electric Company. He was j
immensely interested in the technical problems of the ore
plant. A conversation relating to this phase of his career
is reported thus: — i
We got a New York nowspaper, and I called his attention to tho
quotation of that day on General Electric. Mr. Edison then !
asked: “ If I hadn't sold any of mine, what would it be worth
to-day 7 ” and after some figuring I replied: “ Over four million j
dollars.” When Mr. Edison is thinking seriously over a problem 1
he is in the habit of pulling his right eyebrow, which he did now :
for fifteen or twenty seconds. Then his face lighted up, and he ,
said: “Well, it ’sail gone, but wo had a hell of a good time spending j
On the psychological issue, the verdict on the whole ,
seems to be, not proven. Obviously the man is veritably
possessed by an instinct of workmanship or continuance; j
just as others are possessed by the instinct of rhythm, or j
of combat, or of the curiosity of science. It is clear that
the love of distinction and the more material self-regarding ,
motives have also moved him. What has been the share
of tho two sets of motive forces in bringing him to his achieve¬
ments seems impossible to say. Doubtless he could not !
say himself. The psychologists are able to do no more for
REVIEWS 781
us than enumerate and classify, with more or less uncer¬
tainty, the human instincts. They can assure us only that
the love of wealth is no simple thing, but very complex;
and that man is moved in his industrial efforts by a variety
of impulses, some of them agglomerated in this composite
love of wealth, some of them quito distinct from it. Wo
are so immersed in the present individualist system that
we can hardly conceive how we should act under conditions
totally different. Prediction might be expected to be easier
as regards those rare persons, like Mr. Edison, in whom
some particular bent appears with extraordinary strength.
Yet even hero we cannot be sure. What sort of things
would he have worked at in a collectivist society, and would
his services have been greater or less ? To these questions
we can give no convincing answers.
F. W. Taubsiq.
gtCKflTtfHlIKt
Mr .Vlioma--- Alva ttlJ son . .
I.lewellyr. Park St .Pc
VA«-^
£%r1a/tnw/it>-<?/a<)ame.H' xi/pHa.ia ,,Q)aCJ/-in G/JCeXHltAa
'■IboKCHcp Is/bxHv.ian, Oa/nHegjp^^. 9 <S‘
G-Sffemea&uat*,,
STr'iHapumr.'*""- $%""-•">■
-_$T J Jiatnei , Q)ip/’.-
Mnau.u/ciet </<•.« {JjfaHc.i „Qaj.iitg tf/ec/mi-Aa^ ,, 0.^'
40C.I Sfec/lniActa JiTu.uc, exJtc/icinl icil ©Alatn
<&t.0eteiA&UX.g., A&n&atauaja^S!^
• or u/ry-ui ion..
address :
to you -tncl in vthi-h I li
Uraph^tlint you have ki
•*.. riiiju'.ii.vly my little Hv.ssi on jourr-.-.l 3. m- set dang
iiwa had the- pleasure to put ir- 1910 yov.r ph«to-
.ndly sent to tf with your esteemed Idler of Sept .
v:mo( !
, the Laboratory of you)
- I t
and of the year. I am
>:u..e and that I could publish 1»- uy Mod eat magas »>* . ’-'ii
thl 3 .y« tr , writing myself alitor- 1 -11. the articles. It
though I have 1000 subscribers, vh 5 oh nay each Hbl.S.- .
ird have -2 ready lost during the years a large suit..
irt u,w of the best Pater t-Off ices "Kaupe Tnchek -1 off' during 1" years •
X a., a consul ling-engineer it- technic -.1 advertisements and-.tuu o.te? izn -na
lv the Singer Co to give consultations in publishing puffings etc.
Perhaps' you would be so kind to send mo a look with a full description
of -tour inventions or your life, which I will IV.r tr-c-slale into Kussiar.
In r gage and publish it.
T. hope you Will not consider me obtrusive .1 esteem you And your sow.
Your photo is always standing tse before me on cy / table • t>y sei'di ng anyth i».
•elation her. t
7
PENNSYLVANIA
' Oct. 10, 19X2.
Dear sir:
The Saturday Evening Post desires t«
obtain an interview from Hr. Edison in re¬
gard to his work on moving pictures for ed-
ucatioxml purposes. The editor, Ur. Lori-
mar is particularly interested in its ef¬
fect not only on education in general but
especially on the development of backward
children.
Wll you kindly see if you oar. arrange
such an interview?
lly husband - Henry Beach loodham -
who is accustomed to interview big folk,
tells me that I must Bay something about
myeolf, so that you will know whom to ex¬
pect. I have had quite a contact with edu¬
cational matters. Further than that I have
written quite a little, and my spring book,
"Iblk festivals" (Huabsch) has had a very
kind reception.
Hoping to hear favorably from you soon,
‘ , Cordially. yours, i ■'
■maAH yviw-f h
FRANK R WILSON PUBLISHER
Uhe Sioux City DDaily Die to 8
Sioux °ity, Io.t
October 10. 1912.
Thomas A. Edison,
Menlo Park, H. J.
Dear Sir:
I SH attaeh a copy of a jingle which is one of a series which has been
appearing daily in the Hew York Globe, the Chicago Hews, the Philadelphia
Bulletin and a number of other papers that are affiliated with the Asso¬
ciated newspapers, a syndicate with offices in the Singer Building, Hew
ZH# York. The stuff is written purely in a spirit of fun, and the author
trusts to the good nature of the subjects to aooept it in that light. I
am asking each of said subjects to autograph his particular Terse as a
personal faror to me, and I enclose a slip for that purpose. I thank you
now for whaterer kindness you may see fit to show me in this connection.
Hews,
Sioux City, Io.
Introducing You to
Famous Individuals II
By John "W. Carey.
AVho plugs some twenty hours bi
n day— (Skidoo, you Busy Ik !) — $
inventing this and also that— of H
Menlo Park, the viz! Who sa
the sleep game’s overplayed— a:
all that sort of stuff— for any mi
four solid hours in bed is quite
enough! Who ’d have us lie on i
concreto couch — asbestos sheets "■
and such (in which event, four q
hours in bed we’d say, were much
too much)! AVho’d dearly love, *
no doubt, to keep the world pi
awake all night-, as that would n<
niean big doings for his incandes- Ju
cent light! Who gave to ub the y,
phonograph — ye ragtimo in the is
can — but who is otherwise O. K. tju,
Tom Edison’s the man. /'*
THE SIOUX/CITY DAILY NEWS
319 5th St. Stf ux City, la.
fa. £ C^J<LtTK.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
Telegraph and Telephone Age
PUBLISHED ON THE FIRST AND SIXTEENTH OF EACH MONTH.
FOUNDED IN
A Semi-Monthly J
J. B. TALTAVALL,
Telegraph. Telephone and Subma
Interests and Radio-Telegraphy.
253 BROADWAY,
New York, October 17, 1912.
Hr. V/. II. Ileadoworoft ,
Edison Laboratory,
West Orange,
N. J.
Dear Hr. Ileadoworoft
The enclosed copy of a letter mailed today to Mr.
E. B. Hudson explains itself. In case Mr. Hudson is hot
in town, we thought it best to send the copy to you.
We would like to receive the Edison message Saturday
morning. All Mr. Edison need say is something like the
following: “Greeting to the Old Time Telegraphers' and
Historical Association and the Members of the United States
Military Telegraph Corps assembled in reunion at Jackson¬
ville, "etc., etc.
Mayor Jordan of Jacksonville would greatly appreciate
a message to be read at the banquet and General Manager Bel-
videre Brooks of the Western Union Telegraph Company, llew
York has detailed an operator to look after the New York end
of the Jacksonville special wire on this occasion to handle
Mr. Edison's message as well as others from Andrew Carnegie,
Theo. N. Vail, Col. R. C. Clowry and others.
Awaiting your valued favors, we are,
Yours very truly.
Publisher .
JBT-EKH
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
October 17, 1912.
Mr. 2. E. Hudson,
o/o Thos. A. Edison, Inc.,
West Orange , IT. J .
Dear Mr. Hudson:-
The President of the Old Time Telegraphers' and His¬
torical Association, Hon. W. S. Jordan, Mayor of Jacksonville
•Pla., desires me to get from Mr. Thos. A. Edison, a reply to
a message ,of welcome that will be sent to him on the n.ight of
the banquet at Jacksonville, which' will occur next Thursday.
The Old Time Telegraphers' and Historical Association, will
meet at Jacksonville next week. Will you kindly have the
message of greeting from Mr. Edison prepared in advance and
send it to me and we will place It in charge of the proper
party in New York who will be custodian of the serveral simi¬
lar messages until the night of the banquet when they! will '
be sent over a special wire to Jacksonville to be read dur¬
ing the progress of the banquet by Mayor Jordan.
Kindly give this matter your promptlattention as the
writer will leave for Jacksonville on Saturday, and oblige.
Yours very truly,’
Publisher.
JBT-EKM
P. S. - To make sure of securing something from Mr. Edison,
We have forwarded a copy of this letter to Mr. W. II. Meadow^,
croft. .
\> T°
Telegraph and Telephone Age
PUBLISHED ON THE FIRST AND SIXTEENTH OF EACH MONTH.
Hr. 'll. H. ideadowrcroft.
A Semi-Monthly Journal Devoted to Commercial and Railway
and Radio-Telegraphy.
J. B. TALTAVALL, PuousHcn.
253 BROADWAY,
New Yorkt-O..Q.%...f ... .
Dear Hr. Ueadov.croft: -
In reply to utta.ch.ed, the matter of Hr. Edison's 1
it tended to on the special wire to the banquet nail,
ige reached us from llew York, signed by^mr.^
.lie Reunion was the greatest s
lers Conventions so far held.
Thanking you for your kindness in the matter and with best
jbt/jos.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
^rrcajM (Scfeum/,
T
Oot. 30/12
Mr. J. 3. Taltaval,
253 Broadway,
Ilew York City. •
Bear Mr. Taltavall:-
It just occurred to me that I have not written
to you to confirm the telephone message which I sent to your
office in regard to the matter of a message from Mr. Edison
to the "Old Time" Telegraphers.
At the time your letter was received, Hr.
Edison's mother inlaw had just died, and he v/ent to Akron, Ohio
to the funeral service and did not get hack for several days.
Of oourse, this upset everything and, therefore, the special
telegraph message could not he arranged for.
I told your secretary over the telephone
that Mr. Edison had previously written Mayor Jordon in re¬
sponse to his invitation, and in the latter had sent his
greetings to the memheis of the Association.
I trust all this was thoroughly understood.
Yours very truly,
Cl£-0%4J£i
whm/es
Dlplom-lngeniwif
ft R a t n e i*.
Diplbm-rngenieuf-
ft R a t n e r,
I have received in good state the four photos ana tne description
of your XX 0entury Suburban Residence, which you were extremely kind to
send me. I will transform it in Bussian language and I am sure it will be
of great interest for my readers. Prom the above you can see that I am the
representative of the German Journal "Ze itschrift fur praktischen Maschi-
nenbau", which is the translation of the "American Machinist" .1 esteem very
much the editor of it .Mr .John Hill, of whom I had so much Aeard from the
Manager of the Pneumatic Tool Co. in this town, Mr .John K.Lencke .This man
came about 11-12 years ago from your land and was the first, who introdu¬
ced here the pneumalic Tools and erected a plant for making them.I believe
that even at present nobody else is able to make these tools here .In win¬
ter 19o8 Mt. John K.Lencke made his usual trip to U.s.A and then he brougl2
to me a photo of you.Mr.John Hill was then kind enough to send me a book
with the National Songs of America.lt was my desire to know the words of
the son&Yankee Doodle", because nobody here could me tell them-Now I am
satisfied.
Please , receive my deepthanks for your kindness.I have a little booklet
with the thoughts of Carlyle and there is at the end written: "A friendly
thought is the purest gift that man can afford to man"
I will send the copies with the article registered.
Very
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
GILBERT H. MONTAGUE
x*o*c
My dear Mr. Edison:-
On November
Hovember 13t 11,1912.
2nd X wrote Mr. Dyer stating that
the editor of Leslie's Weekly, with whom I had recently
been conferring, was planning an Inventors' dumber; and that
his art editor had suggested a frontispiece showing a bust
of yourself in a Hall of Fame, surrounded by medallions
representing famous inventors; and that a signed article
from yourself v/as desired. Since most of the articles were to
be directed generally against the pending Oldfield bill,
something on this line waB particularly desired from you.
Mr. Dyer suggested that I combine several paragraphs of
your letter to the Pate/it Committee into an article of
moderate size and send it to you or to him for final
approval. Accordingly, X have combined several paragrapns
of your letter into an article of such length as the magazine
can use, and I am submitting it herewith. If it is satis¬
factory, will you kindly write me, authorising the printing
of this article in Leslie's Weekly over your facsimile sig¬
nature; and may I trouble you to write your name upon a
separate slip of paper so that it may be reproduced for
publication?
With regards, I am,
Thomas A’. Edison, Esq,.,
c/o Thos. A‘. Edison, Inc.
Orange, N.J.
Very truly yours,
enclosure:
GILBERT H. MONTAGUE
November 18 th , 1912.
My dear Mr. Dyer:-
Herev/ith I hand you a copy of a letter and
proposed article which 1 am today sending direct to Mr.
Thomas A. Edison, pursuant to the suggestion contained in
your recent letter.
As the time is rather pressing, I will
thank you for any assistance which you can give in ex¬
pediting the matt<
Vary truly yours,
Frank 1. Dyer, Esq.,
president, Thomas A. Edison, Inc
Orange, 1T.J.
- '
s/y'/A
1/ ff St/'
^ }/<
enclosures
y* tv p"'
v & y s
c tv. 4 v.
/'/// ^
z' ty" y
^ /t e/ y'y
November 22, 1912.
. H. JAeadovdroft ,
Thomas A. Edison Bibratory,
Orange, N. J.
Bear Sir:
I am phased to Know tnat ar. interested in tne
story you mention, published in last Sunday's World. I will take
great pleasure in meeting Ur. Edison if it is oonyenient for him to see
m0 some morning the latter part of next week of the week after.
P.V.R.K.-A.
JOHN _ l !•*'
CAt* u "
GILBERT H. MONTAGUE , X r
^ => ,y> ^
N EW YO R K J /
November 23rd, 1912. /
My dear Mr. Edison:- /
On November lath, 1912 I wrote you regardin'"
tiie article which .is desired for publication in Leslie's
weekly; hut I have not yet received a response from you.
As the time is rather pressing, I take the liberty to remind
you about the matter. /
With regards, I an, /
Very truly yours,,/
Thomas A. Edison, Esq.*-, ‘
Orange, N.J.
r
/
Ur. V/.H. Meadowcroft’,
Assistant to Thoms A Edisor
Edison laboratories,
Orange N.J.,
Dear Jflr. Meadowcroft:-
*- sc* 1
I aw writing to express to Mr. Edison, through ,.ycuf j,
appreciation of his courtesies to me when I visited hi^in^O ran g
and for the knowledge he gave me. ,.J> s' s'" > . rj
felt that there was so much Mr. Edison said that is wholly ne<
which, as v/e both know, presents facts of deep interest if tiJrrey \m
presented in an entertaining manner. X
In short: I should like to write a specia'
for the new magazine of The World, concerning those musical inve
gations on which Mr. Edison's marvelous mind is now employed*.^
I should, likewise, like to prepare
The Saturday Evening Post — t.a which I arija regular
of which calls for more information - 4“" *’”*
Music which Mr. Edison is < .
development of the people'
r Mr. Edison' i
_ _ _ tributor--w i
_ _ _ concerning the Scientific Si<
itined to make an important factoj/ir
artistic understanding of music.
, be available
Under another cover I am taking the liberty of
forwarding two copies of recent issues of The Saturday Evening Post,
in which will be found two installments of a feature I wrote called:
The Inside of the Singing Game. I am sending it that you may both
have a better idea of how ouch an> article, or series of art-
~irf7T7mrT IIIILIM ll Incidentally, Mr. Edison may find matters of inter¬
est contaiiJed in the Post stories — for they deal essentially with
facts.
Assuring you of my consideration of your kindness
to me when I was in Orange and with my sincere compliments to your
distinguished chief, I am,
could so cl early and so authoritatively brine lief ore tie
people the possibilities of the next ten years in the
light of the discoveries and advances of the year which
is just closing. I don't mean by this , nor does Hr.
liearst mean, any ironclad predictions, but a broad analy¬
sis of v/hat is lilcely to happen along the following lires:
The development of the moving picture in our
business, social and educational life. The moving picture
is now being used to bring to people's minds lessons in hy¬
giene, in efficiency and in morality. I have, by the way,
some very excellent still photographs from the :3d is on Com¬
pany for another feature along these lines, but which will not
militate with anything that you may say.
SECONDLY : In the production of energy. Goal is
rapidly disappearing, and what will take its place when the
supply gives'- out?
THIRDLY: The Rood supply.
are still dependent
jNetDp^^^teruan
T. A.E...#2.
upon the slow proooessos of nature as middleman, '.'/ill ;e
ever be aisle to extract our food directly from the elements
in the earth or in the air?
POURTh: Education: V/e have never specialized in
the education of children, and this is the age of specialists.
Perhaps the moving pictures and the phonograph may he great
factors in this development.
PIPTH: in the care of the hody. In the light of
Dr. Carrel’s experiments ^will science he ahle to confer
actual earthly immortality upon man hy presenting him with
healthy hits of machinery every time the old pieces run out?
This is necessarily a very brief outline.
\7e feel that such an interview with you would he
the means of making hundreds of thousands think a little het-
and ,
ter,Kawaken others to the possibilities arouna them.
There is no scientist, it seem to us, whose words
would have so great a carrying power in American as yourself,
and, at the same time, there is no medium so great as ours
to carry what you have to -say.
Very truly yours,
SDIF'AY EDITOR.
MEAOo*°<*>n-
Dec • X4 , 1912.
5^;
1/U t
Hr. William H. Meadowcroft,
Assistant to ThomaB A Edisr '
Orange, ff.J. ,
Dear Mr.Meadowcrof±:-
. I have your communication of l3ie 12th,,
which Mr. Edison conveys through you his wish to wait until
February before going at length into The Scientific Side of
Music .
/ In so far as preparing a broad and comprehen-A
sive special article, such as this title indicates, I can rea-^_
dily see that Mr. Edison would wish to v/ait until he is properly
"primed." But I sincerely trust ncpbjection v/ill be made to The
World printing a story in its Sund'ay Magzine section on :How
Edison Puts the Tape Meadure on Sigging Voices and Bates them
according to a Scale of 100. Percentage'.'
We have made preparations to run this article
shortly and the story, in point of fact, is already written. I
hope Mr. Meadowcroft, that Mr. Edison will offer no objections
for there will be nothing appearing that can in any way operate
to his annoyance.
A further reasen why he should offer no objec¬
tions to our using this Btcry is the publication, in the laBt
issue of Musical America, *an article in which Mr. Edison 1b
quoted and in which certain material 1 purpose using is already
in print.
I will forv/ard the manuscript of the article
f I have prepared for The World to you for Mr. Edison"B inspection
p and any suggestions he may care to mhke for eliminations or
1 additions.
As for The Scientific Side of Music Btory —
which we can make of country-wide importance and deep human
interest— I -would he greatly helped if Mr. Edison would permit
me to <’■0 over certain matters with him some time in January.
That will give me time to write the article — which will require
much care and considerable^M«fe— so it can he considered for
editorial consideration hy- The Saturday Evening Post At a date
permitting possible publication in March; for , as you prohahly.
know, this magazine "makes up" several weeks in advance of printed
day of issue.
Incidentally/, X have some valuable information'
concerning vocal art science to impart to Mr. Edison-, which he
may find of uBe. With kind regards, T ““
Very truly yours,
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
Mr. William H. Meadowcroft,
Assitant to Thomas A. Edison,
Orange, H.J.,
Dear Mr. Headowcroft:-
Thank you and Mr. Edison for your courtesy in
O.K.-ing the copy of the suggested story for the MagAa^e Section
of The World. We appreciate it.
All we need now is a hit of information to give
the article more weight and interest--that being HOW Mr. EdiBon
establishes, scientifically, the amazing things in music which
he does,
What we --and the public, too--are anxious to
know is how Mr. Edison:
Establishes timbre.
Establishes the rate of tremolo.
Establishes trueneBB of pitch.
And all the other facts contained on hiB chart.
X believe you and Mr. Edison can appreciate that
the HOW of it is of paramount importance, and that it will give
to the article a note of authenticity not now present.
Will you, then, kindly forward this information
at Mr. Edison's and your earliest opportunity, when I shall in¬
corporate it in the article and, if you wish, forward the proofs
for final O.K.-ing before publication. Wishing you gentlemen the
compliments of the season, good health and contentment, I
Edison General File Series
1912. Autograph and Photograph Requests (E-12-04)
This folder contains requests for Edison’s autograph or photograph and
letters of acknowledgment from persons who received his autograph or
photograph. Among the items for 1912 is a letter from New York philanthropist
Mary Robinson Wright, the widow of James Hood Wright, concerning a
meeting with Edison and an Italian sculptor named Ximenez. Another letter
from composer Luigi Romano, who would later write a "Kinetophone Waltz,"
encloses reviews of his "Titanic Symphony." Also included is an exchange
between Edison and his chief engineer Miller Reese Hutchison in which
Edison declines a request to sit for New York photographer Benjamin J. Falk,
who wanted to "try out his new color photography." Other correspondents
include E. H. Bancroft, son of William L. Bancroft who apparently visited Port
Huron, Michigan, with Edison in 1898; sculptor Frank E. Elwell; Irwin W.
Howell, a former employee of the British Thomson-Houston Co.; and New
Jersey congressman Eugene F. Kinkead.
Less than 5 percent of the documents have been selected. The
unselected items consist primarily of unsolicited correspondence from Edison
admirers, autograph collectors, educators, newspapers, and periodicals.
“ASST
~""1 - |
JUltambra $ath gjcmgu?
W. L. BANCROFT'S SONS. Prop..
(Lite ^fctatest rijest anil iHnst ^uustnrg Untying |
(fistablislpumt in Jiai ^primjs |
214 OUACHITA AVENUE j
Hot Springs, Ark.,- Feb. . 26,.. 1912. 191 1
The Private Secretary,
Thomas a Edison,
Orange, N. ■
Bear Sir:-
*^V
in ihe fail of 1696 my Fattier, the late
wm 1- Bancroft, made final visit to his old home,
port Huron, Mich.., and together with Mr, Mi son was
there entertained by their mutual iriend '>r. 0 Brin
,T. Atkinson, at his summer home "The Old Bunce
Place"
At that time I understand, Mr. Edison
rave .Tas. M. White, photographer, a sittin.fr and a
personal* exchange of photographs was made, t have
recently obtained from the White studio a e rt
Mr. Edison's. Tt would add rreatly to *h.e.
of the possession were it autographed by him - and
T would thank you to brinrr it to his attention.
Doubtless he is besieged with similar quests,
but T venture mine with a feelin<r that peihaps it
mi<rh t afford him also a pleasure.
Kindly convey to Mr. Edison compliments
from my Mother and .mention that on March -™^_next
_+ ov* « nav - she turns her B7th.. tixe
SS4SS ssrs." ~ - -
£4 •• -vU. K< /J fcit
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
WASHINGTON
June 7, 1912.
Mr. II. F. Hiller,
Thomas A. Edison Laboratory,
Ornngo, Hew Jersey,
My dear Mr. Miller*
I have yours of the 4th instant enclosing Autograph
of Mr. Edison. I want to thank you very much for your
Kindness in this matter, as noil as for the promptness
nith which you complied nith my request.
TTith personal regards, bolievo mo.
EFK-R
ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT.
PATERSON,
-"i t ' i ?ct £
O-r/ze/ (>j> -j • c
„r,. /tl*
c£u<y, h,« -/-/<• I,.,, 'Y^
faunuilf'U hi <■ '<&>* M <S~2<
hltrf- <Xt,t n A t <■ '<>•■ "(■ Y ht* .
Our Ov-Ht'cfx. c) .cnSttc-trl St
/SS'<J. PAcAy //IK-e t JSS* j£ rirk'C
CZushc^tX .
/ < ' • ✓ Vr* •
c, c f^;
^ ^ yj ; ^ ^ /, c' i:° t ^ " * '
l ^ „su',;^ ■(/c~‘~ c,'f ^S/^sittr/SI, J-£c
'■X't r< s<zs,~
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J S '>\ /si A. c-rA bu,,,Ws2^
/')/(«, dz/J™ r,A r, /<s//t ,/2t. ,. J yft.2
.y&'ttLS'tt-'.}' 2,,,A S' rfer.rf- A-y^ /,Vj
(PtAtc 7j>
| ATTACHMENT/E N CLOSURE]
^ .Ar.ii iirocK-
of r
The Greater J. D. Williams Amusement Co. Ltd.
Dear Mr Edison,
Mr J, D. Williams, Managing Director of the above Company,
would like very muoh to have an autographed photograph of yourself - enlarged
if possible - to put fen his new executive offices. Crystal Palace Building,
He is making a collection of the photographs of the men who have
made the Motion Picture business famous, and wants them to adorn the walls
of his office.
It is intended to have the arrangement of these photographs carried
out in a very unique way, and he will personally deem it a great favour if you
will kindly forward the photograph abovementioned to our agent in New York -
Mr. L. M. Hoto, 146 West 23rd Street, Hew York City, who will be glad to defray
all expenses incurred therewith.
Thanking you in anticipation,
I am, faithfully yourB,
Would you honor me with your autograph upon
one (or both) of the enclosed post-cards. I did not
have any cards that would exactly "fit"' your genius,
but the two enclosed are favorites of mine— Ilfracombe,
as a place which I have visited; and “Eventide"' as a
beautiful reproduction .(on a small scale) of Professor
Von Hier's painting.
I have indicated with a small ctobb, on each
card, where the autograph may appear to advantage.
Thanking you most cordially, I have the honor
t® remain.' Respectfully yours,
'WcU^uB.
FRANK EDWIN ELWELL
12 HUDSON PLACE
New Jersey
Sculptor ot tbc Statues
Orange, N. J.
New Life,
IJonney Memorial, Lowell,
Dickens and Little Nell,
Fairmount Park, Philatlcl
Rear Admiral C, H. Davis,
Vicksburg, Miss.
General Frederick Steele,
Vicksburg, Miss.
/Ill Rhode Island Mcmorj:
Vicksburg, Miss.
Mr. Harry D. Miller,
West Orange,
“• My Dear Sir:-
Pa- X want to thank you most sincerely
for your kindness to me yesterday in permitting
me to see that wonderful soul at work.
,K The vivid impression I obtained in those
few precious moments will stay in my mind until
slay.
photographs , especially
I would like
the one shown me in thf
Washington, d. <y ou may have ani^Mr^ Edison1
and any others
highty.This will S%3,iUl{%
_ _ _ ' x'
valuable data . Of the man I got a gocifi shot
at him yesterday -but any data lik^prof ile^)or ■" t*
Lo- * V -
other photographs will be of value later and
should be made i
w. Of course I do r
o^stT Aberdeen, Scotiamjth the notion that X am a great sculptor or any-
at Aberdeen.
,LS in gold, silver and bronfahing like that but that I am a sincere one
L rcJT- > -/ft L,
reaching for the truth and the beauty in the
truth is I think evidenced in my work in Orange.
Give that big soul my love and thank him
for the honor he paid me yesterday. J . rfl
^jfflA/6cfis>cr^:
'Mvvs hmrm /pz/Aj ifcz pAffirf?*
ph^y f ycn*s urtnc^cj @cvi luw\ ^ Slft/it# tp
rfa tJy Art mt4¥-, -Color (hh±sf irtflw
v--,, ■niiv/(/vf#vA',
fa <rwhr Art noubA. color (Pm tvf
ffl +l7yP JTmt p/friy GW'*
_ ' &CWL ~&Wu *VY '/
fainmAr- .rmtr will fowl jTm% ^
oiirf/^ 4sv\ oyC 7^ JhMi/yiv rP^-
win ^ fV/i ^*r*r^r\ - — ^
d*LcV , *0 %0-/ Kti 6Vt//
J^t/!r ■na-Jy awn*!
/o/f//w - - --
W<rrV
te* Y-
V) 1
making a great Btature to commemorate the
progress of this century in every line,
Art, Music and Science. As the greatest
is Electricity, his object, is to make the
central figure represented by you. He also
wants to make a small bronze bust of your
self to present to you. This would require
three or four sittings of possibly half
hour each. The desire to accomplish thiB
was the cheif object of his visit to the
United States. I am writing this for Mr
Ximenez because he does not write English
and X accompanied him yesterday to assist
him by interpreting as we are old friends,
and 7/e regretted not seeing you.
I knov/ that you are very much
occupied, but if you will give Mr Ximenez
an interview at your convenience he will
appreciate it.
With compliments,
Faithfully,
Bear Mr Miller:
X appreciated so much your
kind attentions to Mr Ximenez and myself
yesterday. I have just written a letter to
Mr Edison as you suggested and as X know
you are very close to him I feel assured lb
that you will arrange an interview as
soon as possible.
With compliments,
f 9 4vk* //« ™ 4e/n^ y0*'
A fojy oj CO e/PtU^coJ (Qntf'cmfi'cto
H %/acnn CJy*,fAoruj » inft^ltJ 6 **>
lj fa f^U”» *j ^aitn «'lJ
iu 'th< I**™ oQifa Oj 'o in**! -
7 Witt yo,. Ml/ *«'ft ft *-* «-•
lona^'Vto you*
aJkoicJ clayey 'Tyv-am^/c' ftm-i Itatfc f&
'ljUfi <uJ<fl£J W«v^-
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
~3iu/V~ atf. too
d) Jk,
"/l/C Os
,;v\s <*».• ^ >vj
^ . U
Lr fi^W ^ n-vL-n^v jUuxjL* <^~
Va VL-/r -a/WT T ■A-Pdv.yr
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9fr ;W ^ W^iwJwv
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^ ri" f^ v^-'y • ^ "^rtA. ^\jy}A''/y~
3LE ADDRESS* G EVECO’’
ELECTRIC COMMERCIAL VEHICLES
INCIPALOFFICE AND FACTORY
LONG ISLAND CITY, N.Y.
November 26, 1912.
My dear Meadowcroft:
just before X went to England eleven years ago to start an
Edison lamp Factory for the B. H. 1'.. I went to Mr. Edison and ashed
him for a signed photograph to take with me. After considerable per¬
suasion, he very kindly gave me what X wanted. Naturally, I was very
proud of this picture, and as soon as our office building in Rugby
was completed, my picture was borrowed? and placed in the most promi-
uent position in the Board Room where it still hangs, for when I left
last summer to come back to this country, I found it practically im¬
possible to bring my picture with me.
What I would like to have now is another signed picture, and
while I know how difficult it is to get one. I feel that if you bring
the circumstances of this case to Mr. Edison's attention, and consider-
ing the holiday season .just approaching, I am sure you will be able to
convince him how much I will value such a gift. The one I had was a
rather large picture, and I saw a few weeks ago in Mr. John Howell's
house a signed portrait about cabinet sise and this is what I would
like to have.
During my stay in England I saw a great deal of Sir William
Preece and Sir Joseph SWan, both of whom used to enjoy reminiscing
about their meetings with Mr. Edison, particularly Sir William
Preece, for whom I developed very great affection.
I am now over here with Mr. Wagoner and am talcing a keen
interest in Mr. Edison's remarkable battery, and I hope one of
these days to have an opportunity to see you at Orange.
Do you think you can get a picture for me to replace mine
captured by the Britishers?
Yours faithfully,
Jtcow
W. H. Meadowcroft, Esq.,
Edison laboratory,
Orange, II. J.
Edison General File Series
1912. Automobile (E-12-05)
This folder contains correspondence and other documents concerning
the repairs and registration of Edison's personal vehicles. Also included are
items pertaining to technical development of automobile ignition systems. A
few items bear marginalia by Edison. Among the correspondents are
industrialist Henry Ford and his secretary Ernest G. Liebold. There are also
letters and reports by employees of the Edison Storage Battery Co., including
chief engineer Donald M. Bliss and sales manager William G. Bee.
Approximately 50 percent of the documents have been selected. The
unselected material includes sales solicitations, invitations to events
sponsored by the automobile industry that Edison did not attend, duplicates,
and documents that duplicate the information in selected items.
LPRp'SENTATtVE IN
LONDON
to QjteMS Co.
Magnsto
L£VAU-OIS-PERRET
10-82 BROADWAY
NEW YORK. U.S.A. Jan . 1912.
5^ fib,
Edison, AK .
New Jensey . ' \ V /x’']
Dear Sir:-
Mr . Carl Broesel, Manager of the Simplex Kotor
Car Company, of Mew York, sent me to-day for personal inspection
a Simms Magneto, which had been fitted to a Simplex car which
I understand is your property.
I am sorry if the Magneto should have given you
trouble, but upon close examination, I find that there iB nothing
wrong whatseover with the machine, except that the carbon-holder
of the high-tension current had been binding or rubbing on the
slip-ring, due to some end-play in the armature, apparently
caused by some knock. This matter was at once remedied and the
machine in question returned to the Sinplex Motor Car Company
in perfect order .
I was also informed by the said firm that your
chauffeur had complained that the machine in question was a
second-hand one. I hereby beg to state that such is not the
The machine is entirely a new one, for a firm of a
IS MAGNETO COMPANY,
. ...Mdison .
reputation such as the Sin^lex Motor Car CoJt©any of Hew York
or our own, would not allow a Magneto which is second-hand to
te passed off for a new machine. If your chauffeur perhaps
refers to the timing lever which was slightly scraped inside
to insure an equal break and make, I understand that this is
usually done by the Simplex Motor Car Coiqoany prior to the
despatching of any car for final adjustment of the timing.
I can assure you that our Magnet is made in
every way of the best possible materials and highest class of
workmanship and finish, thus insuring the highest mechanical
and electrical efficiency and reliability.
Always at your services,
I remain. Dear Sir,
Very truly yours.
IBS /DM
Doar Sir: -
In further reference to the
letter which the Simms iiagnoto Co.
wrote you on Jan. 2d, beg to say
that v.e have the Simms magneto which
you had trouble with on your car
hack from the Simms Co. and this
instrument is now in perfect order.
If you wish us to , v/e will
he glad to out this hack on your car.
If you prefer, we would ho very glad
to have you keep the Bosch magneto,
which you now have, and trusting that
you will havo no further trouble with
your Simplex car, we beg to remain
Yours very truly,
SIM?L3Z ;\'J TO MOBILE CO . ,
C.B.— B.H.
Jan. 9th, 1912,
REPORT ON AUTOMATIC BATTERY CHARGER
ATTACHED TO PIERCE ARROW CAR
• A email stock dynamo was used for this and a
centrifugal switch made to close tho circuit when thG voltage
was high enough to start oharging and open the oirouit When the
charging current was above the' capacity of the dynamo.
The only accessible place to drive from was the
pump shaft on engine Which made from 300 to 500 R.P.K. at a oar
speed of from 8 to 28 miles per ho'ur.
She dynamo had to be run from 2100 to 2500 R.P.M.
to generate up to the capacity, and owine to the slow speed
of driver and very short oenter distances between driving
shaft and dynamo, it was impossible to get a belt drive to
give results. We, therefore, rewound the stock generator
for t-lower speed, (of course cutting down its capacity) and now
have it mounted in oar, generating about from 1 to 2fc amps. A
discharge test will be made on the cells to-night and?' I will
report the results. $
We are now rewinding one of the small shaving machine
motors to aot as a low voltage generator at a much flower Bpeed
' whioh will make a simple belt drive satisfactory.’' This new
dynamo will also have larger shaft and bearings, a more sub¬
stantial commutator , and will have a higher current o opacity.
AUTOM O B I liE IVlANU ^G^LI B ERS
Dolroit.UiS.A.
Ur. W. G. Bee, Manager,
Edison Storage Battery Co.,
Orange, H.J.
We have been hard at work re-designing our
motor and finally succeeded in moving the carburetor to the
other side, and getting it plaoed in Buch a way as to make
it commercially feasible.
In doing this, there remains on the right
hand side of the motor q space 5 in. wide, 8 in. high, and
16 in. long to bo used for a starting, motor and generator.
' We are making a Bmall motor and generator
set here equipped with two comnutators and two windings, one
to generate at 600 r.p.m., and the other for starting at
1,500 r.p.m. As soon as the castings are out, we will
send you a set. These you oan out and slash aB you like.
I hope that you can see your way dear to
build a maohine to fit this space, of your own design.
Other data on the speed of the motor ahd
power required to turn it will be sent later.
Very truly yourB,
^ '
Jan. 23rd, 1912.
Ihe snail "Emerson" notor, which was rewound to
a low votage dynamo, has been attached to the Pierce Arrow Car
for charging the ignition oells.
The generator furnished from three to five amperes
at average road speeds.
fhe generator speed nay vary from 1360 R.P.K. to
1800 H.P.H. and give effective charging current throughout
the range without any danger of burning it. out.
A record will he kept of the approximate number
of miles covered by the car and the discharge of the battery
at the end of each day’s run.
HP1IBY FOP.D,
Detroit
JanunryF.Oth , 191?. .
Mr. 1. Bee. Soles Manager,
Edison Storage Battery Oo.,
Orange ,11. j.
Dear Hr. Beet¬
le are today sending you By express a special
vanadium steel shaft which yon may use instead off'
the crank now on the oar shipped you.
This will no doubt facilitate your experiments
with a starter.
I-r there is anything further in this line with which
we oan assist you, i trust that you will advise
me.
With kindnst regards , and with Best wishes for early
success, I am,
Yours very truly,
P.G.SieBold,
dec. to Henry Ford.
1912.
W. G. Beo, Esq., Sales Manager,
Edison Storage Battery Co.,
Orange H.J.
liy Dear Sir:-
Supplomontary to our previous correspond¬
ence I am horowi th enclosing blue print showing the
gears of the £otor all in mosh, also the size of the
pitch and number of teeth. The centers of the gears
have been accurately dosignod 60 as to cloar all mov¬
ing and stationary parts of the magneto. This is the
highost speed attainable on the generator when batter¬
ies are being charged.
We are also enclosing a schedule showing
the different speeds of both tho engine and generator
when tho car is operating at a certain numner of miles
per hour.
I trust this will be of assistance to you
in your experiments.
Fell. 15th, 1912.
P:i?.L IHIHARY TEST OH 3130TRI0 STARTER FOR .
"FORD" TOURIIIO OAR
The test was made with a gear ratio of 1 to 112
.ora motor to engine ana ignition furnished by the battery.
It was found that 5 - 3-4 cells will do the work
3 good as 10 - B-2 , as shovm hy the following:
5 - b-4 6 to 8 15 to 35 )
6 _ B-4 6 to 7 15 to 50 ) Started promptly
10 - B-2 6 to 8 15 to 35 )
Although the motor will turn the engine over until
the machine starts, the margin of power is so small, especially
with the B-2 cells, that, should there he undue friction in
engine hearings, the outfit might stall. It was therefore de¬
cided to change the gear ratio.
It is assumed that the magneto will no longer he
used for starting when the car is equipped with batteries, con¬
sequently the speed of cranking can he reduced and thereby con¬
serving the battery energy and widening the margin of power.
The above tests were no de on partially discharged
jj"j
Feb. 26th, 1912
Ur. Henry Ford ,
33. G. Siebold, Secretary;!
Detroit, Itich.
Dear Sir:-
Referring to the battery starter on which wo are
experimenting for your car, v/n have now gotten to a point
where wo will he able to got some definite figures regarding
the number of possible starts, amount of energy required, etc.
In the sample car yon sent us I note that when cold it re¬
quires from 0 to 12 turn-overs v/hon cranking hy hand. In other
words, it is a difficult oar to start oold, whereas after it has
once been started and warmed up it will then restart promptly
on an average of a single turn without ahy difficulty. I am
writing you at this time to rscertain if this condition is
a normal one for this size and typo of engine. In other words,
must we figur- our starting apparatus to start the engine cold,
requiring 8 to 12 revolutions of the crank shaft at a fairly
high speed, or shall we take some lower figure? We appreciate
all the information you can give us, as it makes a great dif-
ferenoe in the sisef: cost of the starting motor, size ana number
of cells, as to how many resolutions yoti must figure on for
average starting^
yours very truly,
, CHIEG ENGINEER
dmb/ks
pel). 26th, 1912.
TEST OH ELECTRIC CEAHKER POE
"POKE" SOUR III® C.AR
Sixty complete starts wero rs de, each at an average
current of IB amperes ana an average of 7 volts. 6 B-4"Kdl son-
cells being used to furnish the current for cranking. Prom the
amount of electrical energy consumed, ns mentioned above, the
cranking could easily continue for three or four hours steady. ,
She engine will not start when cold, due to low rate of speed
in cranking and the fouling of the spark plugs by splashes
of cold oil . When the engine is not cola, ignition will
take place on a half turn of the crank shaft.
A test was also mode using 10 3-2 colls, but the
drop in voltage at about three tines normal current was too
great and. , therefore, gave no bettor results than six B-4 chile.
9 5>he mtlo between electric motor and crank shaft
is now 245 to 1. This will be lowered in an effort to get
more speed at the crankshaft. Of course, the motor being series
wound may drop in speed with increased load so that nothing
may be gained; in that event the motor will be wound for
higher speed.
Our starter turns the crank shaft over 50 R.P.N..
which is sufficient to start the engine, excepting in cold
weather. Hr. Vim. Almquish says the Pord car requires a higher
cranking speed than that, due to the short stroke of the engine.
Karch 6th, 1912.
RRPORT Oh KKBCTRIC CRA1IKBR FOB
"FORD” TOURIHO CAR
One of the vibrators of the spark coil was stuck
due to fusing of contact points. Fh’S caused one of the cylin¬
ders to Hiss. After that was put in order, the cranking motor
was ottnohed with a ratio of 182.5 to 1; the fields of the motor
were put in parallel in order to speed the motor up.
The outfit operating on 6 B-4 colls will start
the engine in less than a turn at an average current consump¬
tion of 33 amperes and 6 to V volts.
Many starts were made, each starting the engine
in less than three-quarters of a turn on the crankshaft.
The Apnle Dynamo sent here for test by Hr. Henry
Ford, personally, was attached to the engine and driven by 1
flat belt from the fan driver. It will be quite feasible to
use the fan itself as an idler and belt tightener, thus getting
a double advantage.
The generator operates very satisfactorily and
will oharge at a 10 ampere rate at a car speed of 18 to 15
miles.
A cut-out switch will be arranged to prevent the
discharge of battery through dynamo when engine is running
too slow or when standing still.
We now have the cranking motor wound with very
heavy wire, cutting down the drop in the windings to a minimum;
this will enable us to get cranking power with a Sweater margin,
thus preventing the electric motor stalling under heavy com¬
pression or bad starting conditions of engine.
March 13th, 1912,
MOTES PIT STARTER FOR FORD CAB
We used a series wound 6 volt motor; armature coils
in parallel; normal current 35 amperes with an overload
of 100$. Suggest using a compound wound motor.
Spur gearing should he used on account of cheapness and
if necessary 3 pairs of gears, in order to get the same
in the required space. If a special motor were designed,
the frame being made long and of small diameter, it is
probable that it could be placed under the hood.
CHAIN DRIVE
The motor is geared to the original shaft with a l/2"
pitoh roller chain and suitable sized sprocket. This
chain has an ultimate strength of 1200 lbs. We used
four 6-32 screws to fasten one of the sprockets to
its hub. These screws ought to shear at 1000 lbs. per
sq. in. There ought to be some kind of a shook absorber
to take care of the KICK-BACK in starting. If shearing
pins are used they ought to be so designed as to be
easily renewed in case of breakdown.
CLUTCH
It is necessary to have some kind of a clutch, vfrich will
turn the engine over by the motor, but will allow the
engine shaft to revolve with running the motor.
HOLLER CLUTCH
We used a roller clutch, which works very well. The only
trouble we had with the clutch was in getting the materials
to stand up under the severe strain of cranking under
compression. Every time a piBtan goes over the center,
the oompressianreacts and strikes a bio w on the mechanism.
With a motor speed of 2500 E.P.M. and a ratio' of 125,
engine was cranked fast enough to fire with the magneto
in about two rev. of engine shaft, engine being cold.
When using battery, engine was invariably fired when
cranked less than 3/4 of a turn.
(2)
For the battery we use six cells of the Edison Storage
Battery , type B-4
CURRENT
The amount of current used in cranking was 25-60 amperes
and 7 volts.
GENERATOR
We mounted an Apple generator, furnished by Pord,
on a bracket attached to the engine. For our experimental
purpose, we drove the generator witn a ono inch belt from
the fan driving pulley on engine shaft. The pulley on
fan shaft was used as a belt tightener
A chain drive ought to be substituted for the belt, as
being quitepositive and requires less attention.
SPEED
The speed of generator is the same as the engine. A
current of 10 amperes was generated when oar travelled
32 to 15 miles an hour; at 25 miles 25 amperes; at 28
to 3D miles 25 amperes, and belt would slip when generat¬
ing about 26 amperes.
HEAT
Ur, Edison raised the question of heating the generator
due to its proximity to engine. After a run of two _
hours, charging current varying from 3 to 26 amperes,
there was a temperature rise at commutator of 27° C;
total temperature being 41° C.
A. W. FLEMING
April 5th, 1915
J-T' , 4*»*
Mr. R. A. Bachman:- Edison Storage Battery Co.
Referring to the Ford Experimental car, we arc keep¬
ing careful record of the daily mileage and the start and stop on
the automatic starter, so as to got some tangihlo data for Ford,
in order to prevent any mix-up. Fleming, the draughtsman who worked
up the details, is the only one Who has permission to use the oar
and keep the records. !7e should have an average run of 20 to
30 miles per day. or sufficient to determine the least amount of
of running necessary to keep the hattory charged and do all the
starting.
My idea in having Hr. Fleming take the car after 6
o'clock was so as not to disturb during the day. I presume
that eaoh time Before he takes the oar out if the record book is
O.K.'d hy you. Hr. Hiller or myself this will cover tho ground.
DK3/I33
CHIEF RHGIIISER.
Copies to Messrs. H. F. Hiller, Brady & File.
June 14th, 1912
Hr. Henry ?ord,
yord Motor Co.,
Detroit, Hi oh.
Dear Hr. Pord:-
You will probably remember me as I5r. '.'.cl Ison’s
assistant whom you met in the Library when you were here.
The object of thiB letter is to ash you if
you would like to have an opportunity of examining an im¬
proves pop-valve for gasoline auto engines, invented by
one of our men. It seems to be a good thing , as ?.t ensures
a better seat for the spring anci thus prevents back-firing.
It is also cheaper to manufacture and- renders it much easier
to replace a broken spring.
It has not boon seen by any other automobile
manufacturer, ana as you are the maker of the largest number
of machines. I thought you might be interested in having
the first opportunity.
Should you decide on looking into it, I
presume you would like to have it sent to you personally.
Yours very Jruly,
whh/es
Vto. H. Uoadavcraft, Ssci-,
Oranso, K.J.
Doar Slr:-
your lotto i- of tho 14th lnrt. raooivod on
w return to tho city aftor an aboonoo of oovoral
days.
Ur. Ford requests that you sond on tho pop-
. . „ ...in look it ovor and report
valvo yon mention, and wo vm J-uu*v
further to you.
Kindly forward this in oaro of tho writer.
Verytruly yours.
Secratary to lLiHICf F(ED^\
}
June 25th, 1912
Mr. 33. Or. Diebold,
o/o Mr. Henry 3-’ord,
Detroit, I-Iich.
Dear Sir;-
I am s ending to you Toy prepaid express the
poppet valve about whioh 1 wrote Mr. Vord.
As you will see that the advantage of this
construction is that the spring tes a secure seat which al¬
ways provides a proper and regiilar tension and cannot get
out of place. This prevents back firing. You will find
in the paokage a rough hand-made seat whioh is intended to
illustrate the idea that the seat can be struck up cheaply.
In addition to the ncreased safety and efficiency of the
valve, tho inventors claim it is cheaper to manufacture.
They also see a way to use the same idea
in cheap baby carriages, but they will have to divide their
patent application on that.
tfou are the first to have an opportunity
of examining this device.
Yours very truly.
whh/ks
Mr. Fleming
The Ford Car is to ho thoroughly cleaned
up, with the Btartar, dynamo, lights and battery in running
condition, and tho oar not to ho uoed for any purpose what¬
ever except for demonstrating to interested parties at the
requeBt of Mr. Edison, Hr. Bachman or Mr. Bee.
bub/rs
/
CHIRP SHGIHEBR.
Copies to Messrs. Edison, Bachman and Bee.
10th,
1912.
Vfo. U. lleadorccraft , 3sq,. ,
Orange, H.J.
Dear 3irs-
Wo havo taken the opportunity of looking
over tha poppot valvo you aont in for inspection.
Dili 3 v;as also rofarrod to lir. Ford, raio
beliovos tho valve used on our oars is ocjually officiant
aid. consists of lass parts.
V/o are ro turning tho same to you by oupross
prepaid, and thank you for your kind intorest in tho
Vary truly yours.
Secretary to ilHIHV FOrtD^
Ur. w. 0. Boo, Ugr. of Uales,
Thoms A. Edison, Ins.,
OranGO , H . J .
Lly Boar Ur. Bee:-
Ur. Ford has just loft for an oxtended
tour throush Europe, and prior to Ms
auostod the writer to advise you that wo -ro raaKii^
conSdorablo progress with the starter and hope Before
Ioiig to have soiid intorostinc information for you.
We expect Ur. Fold home about tlio 10th
of September when I will at once take up t
him, and write you further.
With kind personal resards, I a
Very truly yours.
his matter witl:
Secretary to HBHRY i’OHD .
/7
4X Mar"
*l~r> ^
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dmcyvit /& cw+hw&d . ,
■VU ct\ S UUc) 77 J mi. («4
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&r !•// ia ■wAiLi'V ft" ^<i'h ^
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g^z-r 92^‘-c' ^
Thomas A. Edison Jnc.
Orange,N. J.,TJ.S.A.
Edison Phonographs and Records
Edison Primary Batteries
Edison Kineto scopes andMotion Picture Eilms
Edison Business Phonographs
ssp* ■ :J> w12*
DICTATED
TRANSCRIBED FROM
EDISON BUSINESS PHONOGRAPH
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
ate/f NJ^W york
THE
ecrIta^y of State
^lUTOMpBILE BUREAU
Thomfs A. Edison
West \Oraitge;,
Dear Sir:-
I beg to advise y<
that registration piateHl^. _
ordered by you, has been racdtVM /(,*
from the manufacturer and is now
at this office ready for delivery.
Kindly call for same
immediately returning temporary
plate and certificate 5&S0
loop'd to you, pending the receipt of
vour plate from the manufacturer.
SECOND NOTICE
Mr. Thomas A. Edison,
West Orange, N. J.
Dear Sirt-
Unaer date of Aug. 26th
this Bureau advised you that duplicate
plate No. 11917 was ready for delivery,
and requested that you return Temporary
Plates and Certificate No. 053 , which
has not Been done.
I now teg to advise you that
unless the Temporary plates and Certifi¬
cate loaned you are returned by Sept.
34th , it v/ill be necessary for this
Bureau to notify the Police authorities
to apprehend you.
Respectfully yours.
State.
TDS:MTL
My dear Mr. Edison:-
As an owner of a Detroit Electric car, you have
undoubtedly an unconscious interest in the latest develop¬
ments which have contributed to the maintenance of the De¬
troit Electric's position in the electric automobile field.
That you may be more fully acquainted with the
newer practical ideas which find expression in our 1913 de¬
signs, we are mailing you under separate cover, a copy of
our latest catalog, produced in such a size as to permit
of it's convenient preservation for future reading, should
you so desire.
The advanced features of these new cars are so
completely in evidence, by simply glancing at the frontis¬
piece of the booklet, that it would be almost superfluous
for us to further mention them here. Suffice it is to say
that the Clear Vision Brougham (the car shown in the fron¬
tispiece and also on page eight) is a car whose new prac¬
tical features will, we firmly believe, revolutionize
electric automobile body building by 1914. It, therefore,
gives us much pleasure to be able to offer such advanced
ideas in 1913. It is but another evidence of our intention
to keep the Detroit Electric in the lead - a policy whose
constant maintenance cannot fail to promote a feeling of
pride in the minds of all Detroit Electric owners.
Trusting that the information provided in the
booklet will prove to be of live interest to you and as¬
suring you that any comments you might care to make would
be of equal interest to us, we are.
WJSTO/CB
Yours very truly,
ANDERSON ELECTRIC CAR CO.
r /
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Edison General File Series
1912. Aviation (E-12-06)
This folder contains unsolicited letters from aviators, inventors,
enthusiasts, and journalists requesting Edison's advice, assistance, or opinion
on matters related to aviation. The three selected items for 1912 contain
marginalia by Edison. Among the correspondents is author Frederic iV. R.
Dey, who had previously interviewed Edison on the subject of the storage
battery.
Less than 5 percent of the documents have been selected. The
unselected items consist of letters that received no reply or that received a
perfunctory response such as "out of my line."
U;
KK t
“-KliAJrfi&p i i * V, ^
Ts^^lBANStR^WNil?^0 Insurance
442 Broadway ^AKf jND1ANA
l“‘s 19. February 1912rt.fc,*-",%i «
^ v/* v
Thomas A. Edison Esq: \S
East OranfeT N. J .
[onorable Sir. x
r0 I read in the Papers WKeryou expressed yourself very
greatest Inventor of the past and this century, to submit very humbly the
papers of invention patented September 5.th: 1911 No:1.002.682 under
the name of Telescopic Airship.— Inviting you kindly to prononoe olso
the walue of this invention by your very apreciated consideration and to
Hope your Honor will goodly satisfy my warm wishes.
Our lord mai bless your Words — With long life for this,
211£
Broadway
Gary - Indiana.
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6r$*s (L**&*j , b -‘fi?*
\lj X,
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AM . <-vv
e£
if -'"tkr: . ' '^j
COAxobk,'*.-* f ojjJ^sJ
-■?*' ■ £X~hsK $ t
\ff . #
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w <^trr , ^ J' rv't-i'i
1L*^ u^fet fKfc4^J
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y / &.£jfcu ^ai: ^ jh , .e^H
^v. ^tmm if^'*' V \tuA
lO^Uv ^ flt^v
0t)u-U f &&
Edison General File Series
1912. Banking (E-12-07)
This folder contains correspondence soliciting Edison's opinions about
finance, the gold standard, antitrust policy, and other economic subjects.
Among the documents for 1912 is a draft letter by Edison discussing America
as a manufacturing and exporting nation and the industrial potential of
Buffalo. Also included is a letter by Paul H. Cromelin, managing director of the
National Phonograph Co., Ltd., concerning a pamphlet on cooperative stores
in Great Britain, which he sent to Edison at his request.
Approximately 40 percent of the documents have been selected. The
unselected items consist primarily of unsolicited correspondence, newspaper
clippings, and other printed matter.
NATIONAL PHONOGRAPH CO. LTD.,
EDISON PHONOGRAPHS & RECORDS,
EOISOW WORKS,
WlLLESDEN
jiwePHC/V,' .
>r/jf£/ru W#a-n.2.19i2.
Mr .H.y.Jtiller, Se cret ary ,
c/o Thomas A. Edison Inc.,
0BA2JCE, K.J.
A
f
pear Sir,
"fours of pecember 21st, indicating 'rr .Edison's desire
to obtain literature relating to the Co-cperative "tores ir.
r;ngland is duly received.
I have pleasure in forwarding you under separate
cover for Mr .Edison, a. report of the Korty-third Annual
Co-operative Congress which was held at Bradford last year.
This contains a fund of information of the kind Mr .Edison prob¬
ably is seeking. With this you will find a number of pamphlets
on the co-operative movement which will probably prove interest
-ing.
I have been endeavouring to get a set of the rules as
approved by the Government but could not obtain sane today. I
hope to get it later and will forward same to you.
If there is anything else Mr .Edison needs in
connection with the matter
Pamphlets sent:
Lecture on the History & Objects of co-operation.
The C. IV. S. today.
The Early Days of A Co-operative Society.
How to Start Co-operative Stores, and various other circulars
JJme ilhiff.ArketnssiuT.
(K1
'v • Lf jV^7
yjt A/rt. ey OU*/' ^ -A*
jiv tiSST&^C/
/26*Zy?C' <i%S
" (7 '
^C>-^/\-^L^7c^' /tiAc7t-^--Cc^
^Lv~* — -J^otyXLo^ A — $c7*yA yd^oc-c-cJ? \>4$'
^J- y&oT/-*/ ^hyU*/ AyUy ^ jTyyy/ z^/tstyyAy #t/
' ’ttTnO / jUlJ c£ zfLoyO' S?/7 ^
fovcLcTy oy A
froi/ <^V Z4X O-zA y^ yC ^ o’ S?t-c. ' '7^7-
ybfclt 7~TCCa7/A\ L fl-tAjUAAA/ yp-2-o
/
(/
BABSON'S STATISTICAL ORGANIZATION
Roger W. Babso'Ni pr
I^ay es/j-i
•v ^ '
it* f
DU,-' lmo'vlj, I tool:
Boar I,ir.' Edi o
I.
, . , tv?
up publicly the discussion of an /
ad.iuctr.'.oi^t of tlio tariff in accord- l*
ance wi thi your suggo r/t i on to mo th rouch
Ur. Mallory. Your/ idea sconed to
take well in 'Washington, end yesterday
an anendmoiit to the IIousc Stool Bill,
along the linos ov your su~gection,
was offered 'by Senator Ilowlandc. Trust¬
ing you will Xect/ivo the erodit for
this and with Txyidoet regards, I am.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
.'Hfr' c^
V»V
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
62d CONGRESS,
2d Session.
H. R. 18642.
IN THE SENATE OE THE UNITED STATES.
May 28, 1912.
Ordered to bo printed.
AMENDMENT
Intended to bo proposed by Mr. Nkwlands to tho bill (H. R.
18642) entitled “ Ail Act to amend an Act entitled ‘An Act
to provide revenue, equalize duties and encourage the indus¬
tries of the United States, and for other purposes,’ approved
August fifth, nineteen hundred and nine.” Insert the fol¬
lowing :
Whereas certain of the duties heretofore levied by law on articles
imported from foreign countries into the United States are
so high as to encourage and facilitate the imposition of exces¬
sive prices for similar articles of domestic production and
whereas such excessive duties fail to produce sufficient
revenue, and
Whereas both the Republican and Democratic parties have, by
declarations in their respective platforms, committed them¬
selves to a revision of taritl' duties, the former to a revision
based on the ascertainment of the difference in the cost of
production at home and abroad with a fair profit to the manu¬
facturer and the latter to a revision and gradual reduction
of the tariff to a revenue basis, and whereas both parties
have declared that such revision should be accomplished
with a duo regard to the interests of domestic workers and
without destructive readjustments of domestic industries,
and
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
2
Whereas neither of such parties is in complete control of legislation
and either party is able to prevent the other from carrying out
completely its principles and policies, and compromise is
therefore desirable and necessary, in order to prevent a dead¬
lock in legislation prejudicial to the interests of the United
States,
1 Now therefore, he it enacted:
2 Section 1. That on the first day of January, nineteen
3 hundred and thirteen, a reduction of ten per centum shall be
4 made in the duties now imposed by law on articles imported
5 into the United States from foreign countries, and that on the
6 first day of January of each year thereafter for the period of
7 four years a further reduction of five per centum shall bo made
8 on such duties until a total reduction of thirty per centum in
9 such duties shall be made: Provided, however, That such
10 reductions shall not apply to duties on articles which have
11 been specifically fixed by law at this session of Congress or
12 shall lie hereafter specifically fixed by law : And provided
13 further, That such reductions shall not apply to duties on
14 articles the importations of which during the previous fiscal-
15 year have equaled one-tenth of the production of similar
16 articles in the United States.
17 Sec. 2. That the ascertainment of the facts upon
18 which the foregoing provisions shall take effect shall be made
19 by a Tariff Commission consisting of five members, to be
20 appointed by the President, by and with the advice and
1 consent of the Senate, of whom no more than three shall .
2 belong to the same party; that the terms of the commis-
3 sioners shall be one, two, three, four, and five years, respec-
4 tively; and that the President in appointing such comniis-
5 sioners shall designate the terms of each; that at the
6 expiration of such terms the term of each successor shall be for
7 the period of five years.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
62D2DcosSr} H. B. 18642.
AMENDMENT
Intended to bo proposod by Mr. Newlands to
tho bill (II. R. 180421 ontitlod “An Act to
amend an Act entitled ‘An Act to provido
rovonuo, equalize dutios and oncourago tho
industries of tho United States, and for
other purposes,’ approvod August fifth,
ninotoon hundred and nine.”
May 28, 1012.— Ordoreil to bo printod.
sourtosy
$ ,
^ u\
Cf
, Thomas A. Edison,
Llewellyn Park, H. J.
Hackensack , K. J.,
Me, 10, 1912.
JLXZ***^ u
W*
„(Ll.VU*
Lear Sir-- ^
As per slip herewith a Brooklyn Association is
quoting you in regard to the value of gold, and is using what
you are alleged to have said o rewritten ^ throwing .a douht
» of gold as a unit of value.^jj^^ [{
If this association is quht ing.f ro^oroj printed ^ddres^r^ ^
[dvise mo where/ it
L*,-^ UlJ^ 1- J
will 02 glad to
can he obtained. ^ C*““ I I
« i. •» «* «* “ 10 “^zJilS^4°txsssz
value of gold would he if its use in making jmoney was abandoned- -
'frVkV<-f
co abandoned. . .
■$SK n*
i'ioe of a unit ofjraA««^ot to
The practical question is what
day and year to year. It is the
measure real value (value in terms of labor o^gertion) invariably,
for this is impossible. Ho commodity can do that/ All we can seek-
in a unit is the fixing of a certain quantity cfsoaw commodity, to
represent in a concrete way a certain amount of labor or exertion.
This being done, the value of other commodities can be measured with
facility. Yours very truly,
ve—
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
Why GREATLY overrate the INTRINSIC value ol ANY metal ?-WHY?
Mr. Thomas A. Edison, the Sage (who « ~
counsel ‘hroutH.out «>o worUl as oho ^^^OTABLY. ^ Klh„Mon Promoters Association (oorrespon.
rent experts In Metallurgy anil the uses ot menus in
the arts amt manufaetures) ilcolarcs, emphatically,
that gold Is almost without INTRINSIC value. He has.
trough the press, also suggest. ....
_se Is the gliding of picture frames,
called attention to the fuel that ttv
value of gold is, in VERY large 1 -
current market price thereof '
COMMERCIAL
artificial, the
...most SOLELY
.■limited purchase
due to the laws directing the unlimited purchase ot
that metal and Its Coinage by the United States and
rr^at Britain at figures designated by those laws
which MOST absurdly make gold, WHEN COINED,
deuce office, 104 Fort Greene Place, Uiooklyn, 1
City) will pay One hundred (5-100) dollars t
person who first succeeds in submitting to It a clear
demonstration of material error in Mr Edison a state-
|„ ri! the Intrinsic value of gold. as mentioned
hereon That the whole truth of the matter should
be widely declared is Important to everybody. Will
mv '10(1 00 to the person who first delivers, say,
anVunce of material, native or Imported, properly
certified to be a specimen of a usable and TKU1
“Standard of Value.”
, S t on ce^M
•^(viMe to cx jU-oCrraj tvt (2u*^oJci
cd? \C\fi. pj-v-ti c/Yvt" Jt/m< urfio G.O'uJot 'Vi o-%~
6y<-p <3T^" K&fclV jVI Cj'ollA <£j&5,^«2LOpf •j-'O'l' "ttV CWXj
tasu-G £<2/v0f" 7^<run hif £at p/tcd ov~f 4-t^ -
l^vvCCO, &*J-^yv\ (,^j~ tha <Cl/VnCT(tffl<vi jaXiC-d-i ^
jA vu< t ieo>n nl>UCC-lJ cv-te teU-uA -n--jS-- £ eto<L^
era l^< C Luu/T ^cfJoesA tm <£U/i t <=<X ■=»— *'
cJL&.\\&-t-'c*JL |2.c itax-, to i. (if ct/v\ ecefe)
$_C- ca b.CA ^ t 'ivf f'-j iftC L(Q-£- c>C< "| O'*
C/^-vu^rt C ^C|6.ca.ur.o
rtu^n./ jL* tA| 2 .a '■fST 6 <r> 'JwJv. oc c^r
so-uu c-jL^-r t*.s 4-w ‘ f v v
if. o •* ^ ( <- f c<
4v Lt^E* l/V\ C/'X£vi4. (5 -of jaXof ~N
uf^ u >L cC^ U tA L{ f-w CCti.
^T|^U2 ®*2W-C^rf.C £?^C*uic-.
-f- c cu\ (itiOvs 4 -t-o-vL*. 2-4 u?~~
9~o tofcv LtM
£>0 To 9-o-lv'J^ u* eu)u
I^J/Cr.C-V'f t/uea^ dch-Utte^^ c<Lf
CxC^[^xZ^- o^C{ — Ut ^ e >' f
SWp fk C./ u( C (^P l'u ^
^r^kria*"
0iJKL A X<^U.Q
yxcSs^. * k£ (f 1 ^ ut 1 x
y *^2 \ijmwj9-*up.^ t(ici cc^ (
■^tuLd p ° ^7 ^ j£*-
4 cjl^ *^|cj ^ p ' f v
(ci-L/ l f l . C 1 tc .C t»YY I //
tptct CC£c tU?-(xo.6
rtb tf l-vcf^* L'£> ^v-
tUKw
Edison General File Series
1912. Battery, Primary (E-12-08)
This folder contains correspondence relating to the commercial
development of Edison's primary battery in the United States and Great
Britain. Among the correspondents are Edison's sales managers for primary
batteries, G. E. Hales of the Edison Manufacturing Co., Ltd. , and Elisha E.
Hudson of Thomas A. Edison, Inc. There is also a letter by Frank L. Dyer,
president of Thomas A. Edison, Inc., concerning the use of primary batteries
with railway signals.
All of the documents have been selected.
/by
by
?ch. 1, 1318-
j. J. lionncd 7, Kao..,
52 Broadway, Haw "fork.
;-y deer Ur. Kennedy:
t f,u informed that the
Hull Signal Coop any has oecurea ft contract
fron the Canadian Buoifio Hallway Conpeny
ior the Hu tails. tion of signals. requiring
E.ppro:tinatoly 6000 cells of primary huttcry.
She Bdiaon Battery, u& you know, com¬
plies in all ronpoote with tho H. 8.
specif iefttiona, ana unlasa there is acne
substantial reason why another type of hftt-
gtory should ho used. X would he much obliged
|i<|yo^|V-’ill favorably consider tho BdiF.cn
^B£|tor3|.
S 2
djr relatione with the Canadian facific
j people are entirely friendly, and I oa
quite certain that they would ho clod
to soo Edison Bat tori oo used.
Yours very truly.
President.
Edison Manufacturing Co , Ltd.
JEdisoix Works
Willtisden . 1 11 notion, London, N.W.
' oEH/on. ^
Mr . E. B, Hudson,
Manager of Sales,
Primary Battery Department,
Thou . A. Edison, Ino-,
Orange, New Jersey.
Bv the favour of our Managing Dlreotor, Mr. Paul H.
Orowelln, I am permitted to place before you my Ideas of the poo-
aible developments of the EDISON BSCO PRIMARY CELLS In this coun¬
try.
Having for the past twenty years been actively engaged
in the development of all olasses of electrical enterprise, I
feel sure I am competent to ;Judge of the peculiarities and restric¬
tions of this market.
For many years past the Edison Primary Dell has been
known by nano to all connected with the electrical trade, but has
been associated in their minds with batteries of the Bunson,
Baniell and Bicromate types, whose only use was in the laboratory
or on the testing bonoh. In fact, I am sure, that nine out of ton,
electricians in this country who know the Edison Cell exists would
tell you that when not in use the element must be removed from the
solution .
The only information that has been available for the trade
here has been derived from seeing it featured in the various cata¬
logues published by such firms as Messrs. Verity's Ltd., and the
General Electric Co- Ltd., principally in connection with electric
fans, which outfits have been regarded as toys, or at best make¬
shifts to be used in places abroad where electrical supply is not
available .
Mr. B. E. Hudson, Contd.
Prom tha above remarks you will roadily nee that our
first work over here will be of an educational nature, and there¬
fore it will be necessary for \ts to be in a poult. ion to answer
ouestions, not only in relation to the Battery itself, but also
its various applications.
Supposing wo introduce the subject of electrical sig¬
nalling to a Railway Company - in the majority of cases they will
wish for Information on the entire Installation, and if you could
let uo have catalogues of the Companies in the States who make a
speciality of this business, we could place before them the in¬
formation therein contained, and I have not the slightest doubt,
sorioua investigation would result , all of v/hioh will tend to the
benefit of the Edison Primary Battery business.
As a further example take the list of dental motors
published by the Ritter Rental Manufacturing Co., of Rochester,
M.Y., vfhlch you so kindly sent and which will be of the greatest
value to us. I shall be able to place thlo list before manufac¬
turers of Cental Appliances, of -which we have many, and they v/ill
at once see the utility of the Edison Coll for their business, but
it would be a very different proposition if I had not got a list
to show them, and could only outline the idea to them.
Tha electrical and technical side of the coll you can
safely leave in our hands, as the curves you have already supplied
are very complete, with the one exception that they do not show
the behaviour of the cells under momentary heavy discharge, with
long periods of rest in between.
You will doubtless be interested to know that a firm of
Organ Ruiiders are at the moment considering applying BRCO's to
work their system of eleotrio organ control. I am getting all
tha information from them I can, and will forward it on to you in
due course.
In conclusion I can assure you that there is a large
field hare for these Batteries, if worked properly. It will take
some time and effort, but once we get the Colls well into the trade,
good and steady business will result .
tir. 33. E. Hudson. Contd.
A most important point for us will bo
establish a reputation for prompt delivery.
Yours very ,iruly.
Primary Battery Department,
EDISON KAHUPAOTUHIBO CO .LTD • ,
May 7th, 1912.
Mr. D. M. Bliss:
There is a considerable market, through
the jobbers and dealers, with which the Primary Battery
Deportment is doing business, for a small power battery
motor, for experimental work ana the operation of various
light power consuming devices, which could be made in
the same size and of many of the same parts used in the
construction of the Dictating Machine motor. It iB
probable, in fact, that the motor you ore now preparing
for Battery Fan Motors will answer this purpose.
Such a motor will take the place of
many of the "toy" motors now on the market, and for
this purpose should be operable on approximately two
volts. The name "Edison" will go a long way toward
inducing sales in this field, but the selling price will
also be on Important factor.
Please let me know If it will be prac¬
ticable to get out such a motor, statin., as nearly as
possible, what will be the cost to' this department.
E. E. HDDS OH.
/CC to Mr. C. H. Wilson
CC to Mr. H. C. Durand,
Edison General File Series
1912. Battery, Storage - General (E-12-09)
This folder contains incoming correspondence and interoffice
communications relating to the commercial and technical development of
Edison's alkaline storage battery at his laboratory and by representatives of
Thomas A. Edison, Inc. Included is discussion of advertising, personnel,
equipment and supplies, patent rights, and relations with competitors and
clients, as well as specific commercial usages of storage batteries. There are
several items written by Edison or bearing his marginalia, along with many
letters to Edison by his personal representative and chief engineer Miller Reese
Hutchison. Some of the internal communications relate to the Gouin battery,
which was discussed by J. A. Montpellier at the International Congress of
Electrical Applications in 1911. There are also items pertaining to cell tests
conducted on behalf of the German government and to the use of storage
batteries by electric locomotives, including a report from the General Electric
Co A few documents concern a "Battery Service System" for the General
Vehicle Co and negotiations with that company that directly involved Edison.
Among the correspondents is John R. Markle of the International Electromotive
Co in Detroit, a longtime associate who wanted to establish a marketing
agency for Edison's storage batteries. Other letters discuss recent or upcoming
meetings with engineer and former associate Phillips B. Shaw, former
laboratory employee Alfred J. Thompson, and representatives of the
Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Co.
Approximately 70 percent of the documents have been selected. The
unselected items consist primarily of unsolicited correspondence, including a
few letters concerning windmills, that received no reply or only a perfunctory
response from Edison; additional letters by Hutchison that appeared as
advertisements in th e Army and Navy Journal', duplicates and documents that
duplicate the information in selected items.
January 13, 1912.
Hr. Jldison,-
Martin of the Electric Light Association, is
getting up a lecture bureau, to supply the Association
with good material for their monthly meetings. He has from
from 7,000 to 3,000 members in these Oompany Sections, who
are excellent people to reqch, but they suffer from the lack
of good material. They soon exhaust local talent. His idea is
to furnish free through his Bureau, good technical leoiures
and addresses, accompanied, if possible, by lantern slides
and moving pictures. He wants a good lecture on Edison
Storage Battery, and wiints me to get it up and deliver it
in this vicinity in person. At points too remote for me to
reach, he would like to have it in printed form, accompanied
by lantern slides, so that either our agent in the vicinity
or a merabe1' of the Section who ie familiar with the battery,
can present it. Each of these lectures is to be copyrighted,
and then, at the end of the season, they can be published
either by the Association or by the persons supplying the
material^, if deBired. He is already ar-anging for several
of these lectures, aiSjffliough he does not fcxpect the scheme to
go into operation until next Pall.
I have written him, stating that It would be a ,
great pleasure to supply him with all the material and a
full line of lantern slides. I will deliver the lectures myself
in cities adjacent to Hew York, and we can take care of
-2-
supplying the memberB who will deliver the lectures in remote
sections, with sufficient information to enable him to do so,
especially with the lantern slides to guide him.
’This for your information.
HUTCH .
\
January 16, 1912.
Ur. Edison, -
I have the following letter from Washington?
"Was interested to see developments on Norfolk Requisition
218, for small battery for Preston. I had a look at it, and turned
it over to Mr. Todd. Reynolds of the Electric Storage Battery Co .
seems to think it is time for him to do or say something, so he put
in about three pages of "knocks" on Edison Cell, and the interest¬
ing part is that he could not say anything effective7. The Michigan
battery oame through Jjagain in New Sork Yard requisition, and was
approved, so presume yon have furnished it by this time. 1 hear you
may have to pass »p the job with the Bureau of Yards and DockB for
Floating Crane, but refused to believe it, as it comes from the camp
of the enemy. The point made is that you haven't a battery of proper
Blze.
"I have a new scheme under way, whereby an Edison Battery
will replace one of the two motor generators for telephone talking
current supply. Will try to have this in addition to the auxiliary
lighting battery,
"Mr . Carter, £ow assistant to Courtney, is trying to get
order to p^Jfhhc^|£all, and will probably show up about the 18th
or 19th. He will be here quite some, time, and when a new officer
comes, ,<(ill bo in the same position Oeurtnsy was to 8. S. Robinson.
Hs is a fine fellow, and will call at the Electric Storage Battery
Company ' e Works first, and they will naturally try to fill him up.
He hasn't taken any interest to date in batteries, so X haven't
talked the subjeot much with him.
-2-
"They are shy ofcaah, and it lock3 10 if they would not
buy the batteries for the fcrlington tireless Station before next
fiscal year, §• e. July first, 1912.
"I expect to leave sometime this week for a trip of
eight or ten days. Am going West as far as JJadison, Wis. Please
send copy of Army and Navy Journal addressed direct to Chief of
Bureau of Steam *nEin*«ring. that wo may file them with other data.
X took one of my extra copies down to be kept there until yours
arrive.
' "Your articles are all to the good, and to my mind, about
tht right style. A friend of mine who is Secretary to Roberts on the
House Naval Committee, asked. me about Fdiaon Batteries, for Submarines,
and when I asked him where he get the notion, he said he had read
every article of your arts, and always looks forward to them in the
Army and Navy Journal.
"As you will note, 1 am shy of news
business, but will hops for more next time.
that sounds like
January 17, 1912.
Mr. Edison,-
I have Just .turned over to Smith, for test, on
following hasis, an A-4 cell having the water seal or
trap, in the top. phis I have designated as No. H-75.
When a cell 18 overcharged for a prolonged
period, the entire gas space becomes filled v/ith a foam,
resembling sea foam. This passes into the trap, and seemB
to form a continuous passago between the interior of the
oell and the outlet, so that if the cell is exploded, the
fire is carried through by means of these bubbles. This
has been obviated by plaoing a piece of gauze over the
intake of the trap.
When a cell is charged, thereby becoming heated,
the gases within are naturally expanded. When the cell
cools, a partial vacuum exists within, which tends to
draw the water from the trap i'to Vne cell, thereby
rendering it non-protective. I have obviated this by plao¬
ing a small gole in the partition within the trap. Ab the
vacuum forms within, the drawing of the water into the
small compartment naturally lowers the level’ of the water
in the larger . compartment, uncovering the fhole, and allow¬
ing the air’ to pass through and into the cell, without
pulling the water with it.
It is proposed to refill the cell throughithe
water seal, but if a supplementary vent is not provided
-2-
in the oell, there is no way for the air within to get out,
and it becomes impossible ’to get the water to flow in. 1
have overcome this by the supplementary vent, which I have
provided for experimental purposes in the form of a standard
filling bung.
As a precautionary measure, I wish to endeavor to
freeze the solution in the trap, so as to determine its
practicability in vehicle work. Naturally, if nothing but
pure water exists in the trap, it will become frozen, and
effectively seal the cell. If there is KOH present, it will
lower the freezing-point.
These various features are easily taken care of
in Submarine boat work, and actual experiment has demonstrated
that the potash 13 washed from the gas,- and does not de¬
posit on the top of the cell, or even discolor litmus
paper at the outlet. I am curious to see if the size of
trap I ’am able to get into a vehicle oell will operate ’
thus satisfactorily.
1 propose to first determine the B^filcacy of
the trap for ridding the gas of potash.
The effectiveness of the small hole for relieving
the vacuum Within will come next.
• The freezing -will follow.
It is stands up satisfactorily under these tests,
we will explode the cell under varying conditions, apd will
then he ready for consideration aB to embodiment on vehicle ■
cells .
DEPARTiiENT 03? COMMERCE AND LABOR.
Light-house Service.
General Depot,
Office of Inspector,
Third District,
Tompklnsville,
New York.
January 20th, 1912.
M. R, Hutchison,
O/o Edison Experimental Laboratories,
Orange, N. J,
My dear Hutchison, -
Referring to your letter of January
eighth, and our conversation on the night of the 18th re,
the General Electric Company's attempt to produce a 600
candle power lamp:
In looking up the matter, I find that
they hope to have a.laijip of 200 to 300 candle power at
the Depot, sometime in the future, for a try-out. If this
is successful, they them propose to attempt a higher candle
power. As this matter hah been in their hands for a year
already, it looks to me like a slow proposition, and you
and I will hardly live to see their 600 candle power
light., unless somebody stirs them up. With this situation,
can you not get your man busy at the Edison Laboratprv,
and see if we cannot get some results? I do not think the
General Electric Company will make good.
Sincerely,
(Signed) C. D. Stearns. U, S. IT.,
Inspector.
Long Acre Electric Light & Power Company
4G)5b roadway
New York
Thomas A. Edison, Esq. ,
East Orange, E.J.
My dear Mr. Edison:
In talking with Mr. Hayne, who represents the
selling end of the Diesel Engine with the eastern territory,
I was very much pleased when he told me that we were all coupled
up with the Edison battery in pretty good shape; also that re¬
cent contracts made hy the Bureau of Yards and .Docks covering
one 100 K.W. set to be installed on each pontoon crane for the
Boston Hayy— Yard and the Pearl Harbor^ary Yard, Edison batter-
ies^being part of the complete equipment so that the current
to charge the Edison batteries will be developed by the only
January 27, 1912.
Mr. Edison, -
1 have just received information from Robinson of
the Banner Safety Lamp Company, which seems authentic.
A man in the employ of the people in Newark, who make '
this little alkaline battery, is very anxious to get a position
with Robinson, and is reporting to him what the Newark people are
doing.
They have applied for, and have been allowed, patents
on a form of plate on which they use tubes, the same as ours, but
placed horizontally instead of vertically in the plates. They are |
using iron and nickel, and, Robinson says it will be difficult
for anyone to see the difference between the two cells.
The fact that we have not gone after them has le£d
them to believe that we do not think much of the Edison Battery
patents. They have therefore taken liberties with them. They remarked
to this man that they have been making this alkaline battery for
several years, and that we have not even attempted to stop them.
They state tftat they are now so convinced that they are not infringing,
that they are installing machinery to manufacture these tubular
constructed cells, and expect to have them on the market about the
middle of March.
Robinson is coming out Wednesday to see Lanahan of the
Legal Department • I eipect to be in Washington Wednesday, and if
you want to talk with Robson on the matter, I will instruct
him to call on you.
The Newark people have already made two of these cells,
and are testing them out. They report results as very satisfactory.
I am dictating this before going to New York in
connection with that Royal Gorge Railroad proposition.
January 39, 1912.
Mr. Edison, -
I am satisfied, from the sluggishness of new
business in Edison Battery, that whatever money we are
spending for advertising through the columns of the med¬
iums used is not being well enough done, or the selection
is poor.
I want to talk this matter over with you when
you have the leisure and time to do so.
K, B, H,
My dear Mr. Edison: -
The data you gave us on the Illinois Central Kail-
road's servioe, to enable us to submit plans to you for the
eleotrio locomotives we would propose for use with your
storage battery, was as follows for the three classes:
Freight Service: Length of run - about 10 miles.
Maximum weight of train exclusive of locomotive - 1000 tons.
Maximum speed with this weight of train - 15 miles per hour.
PBKsenger Servioe: Length of run - about 10 mileB.
Maximum weight of train exclusive of locomotive - 500 tons.
Maximum speed with this weight of train - 40 miles per hour.
Switching Servioe: Maximum weight of train exclusive
of locomotive - 500 tons. Maximum speed with this weight of
train - 8 miles per hour.
This data will be sufficient for us to submit
locomotive designs for the Beveral classes of servioe. I
find that we do not need further information to prepare the
descriptions and drawings for which you asked.
The work is well under way and we hope to have it
in your hands by the first of next week.
GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
SCHENECTADY, N. Y.
The motor oontrol is being laid out to operate with
the motors in series, series parallel, and parallel, supple¬
mented hy shunting the motor fields and it is probable that
no external resistance will be required with the possible
exception of the first position of the controller in order
to handle the looomotive alone when ooupling to oars.
It appears that the same looomotive oan be used in
either the passenger or switching servioe with simply a higher
speed gearing for the passenger work.
Should I be away, Mr. Dodd will deliver the drawings
and description to you as you may have some comments or ques¬
tions to ask with regard to what we propose.
Tours very truly,
Engineer, Hy. & Tract. Dept.
WBP/H
January 30th,1912.
Hr. Edison;-
Hr. Bourquardoz suggests that you write a short
note to dol. J. Rupert thanking him for the order
which he gave Hr. Bonrquardez for 21 trucks equipped
with Edison Batteries. It might he well to express
yourself and give your opinion of the life that will
he given hy these batteries when properly taken care
February 1, 19X2.
Mr. Edison,-
I have been requested, by the Navy League to attend
the convention and banquet in Washington in the latter part
of Fsbryary, at which banquet President Taft, Secretary Meyer,
and practically all the Government Officials will be present.
They want me to deliver an addreso on the subj eot
of Edison Storage Battery for Navy use.
Pretty good advertising.
OS
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yp
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g~C c "crC.,' t cr c; IJj: ov 6-0 £ < <? (l )J c <. • <-v
Cp^«, ^CrXc^ OJt£
j^O OL-L.tn' « CC C fl 4-M-J-d tf7 ^
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H$mX 6 6^1 C k. J^-ce rtv r-< * ft ('
dcntz- ~T$\£&er 6 ccCCc*^ M,<lcC£ ~''\
LlcCO <£ £- Cjf ^ d l-LCt^-e.6_ 4 ?
(JLcMv C/'\AjOO^ ScuX!£-C-' I'lfifZC cf CC %-CG-@_
Q^cfcH^U- \fP-U_ 2-frC
^if rc I ^ fkckCLkV L C,c>?rr
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d^tc ate /-& ^d_(£c ,'ft 4c\t4_
yc„rc«-:v, ji>
r
Sr0'&)&£.
February sixth,
19 12
Mr, Charles Edison,
6 Louisburg Square,
Boston, Mass.
Bear Oharles,-
Your 'postal received.
I have instructed that enough KOH be forwarded
to you, to enable you to refill your cellB , Be Bure to
have the electrolyte one-half inch above the tops of the
plates, and dump out all the electrolyte before putting
in the new.
I am sending you by registered mail, one of
the 16 candle power, three volt lamps I had made special
to order. I had the hallucination that this lamp had
been forwarded to you when the batteries were forwarded,
but find I must have dreamed it.
Beach has a man working for him, named Scott.
Scott knows more about. thiB Beach Cs.r in a minute than
Beach will ever know, X refer to tho practical operating
data, etc. I got in touch with Scott on this North Newark
proposition, and he says the best thing for me to do is
to call on Mr, Parsons, Division Superintendent in Jersey
City, and talk the matter over with him. Parsons can give
mo ail the data we want. I have been endeavoring td get
hold of Parsons for a couple of days, hut he has been
away. I am called to West Point Wednesday noon, to spend
the night, and give the Cadets a lecture of Edison Stor¬
age Battery Thursday morning. I am returning to Orange
Thursday evening, and expect to leave Sunday night on an
extended trip through the West and parts of the HaBt, for
the purpose of starting something in the way of the use
of Edison Battery for ignition, lighting, Belf-starting,
etc. This lethargy is getting on the nerves of your father
and myself, and we have determined to pitch in and boost
things a bit. He wants me to call on the various raanuf-
actueers, and by taking the matter up directly with the
presidents of these companies, start something. While it
is- out of my Department, as far as the sales are concerned,
I am perfectly willing and anxious to do anything I can
to promote the welfare of the Company, because I am tired
-2-
of seeing that Company a drain on the XfSI^if
F£„5?S£ "
finger nails behind.
You might suggest ' to the Head of the Electrical
awK:ffit^S3~-is3=
fore. the entire student body.
Dr. T. C. Martin, the Secretary of the National
OsSSSSH&Kfe a?
hSt gldovm togtho benefit of the Company.
I will try to get an opportunity of ageing Par-
avrassy* SSSr-
are other lines to -he 'ol„n ^hc thing up while
under consideration. I want to clean tnc^tpi 6^^
I am at it. It is J^^.^^omcbile trip, I will hare a
it. When I return from my automcone
better opportunity.
Yours sincerely.
nWV-'
S*?/~
/<$Car /fotfcf-
S*&Si*4,
yfrc^{-*»LsC<S£ /*Z S*ij£- .
*c/ A*}f A*/
£ <c**~£*f /i^L
<p£- S%iZjZ- S0*c4£yt£=*
(^*-£76 7/Z'1^'-y&\-;Z X» i<c^«r^^
y^< AU^C tZygyc Si^/CC^ AZy?
tZyer
t?Z-Z~ ZZ~2-/ ~#Z i/
yyz—fZbt/ ^yf^^Zs.
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general electric company
* SCHENECTADY, N. Y.
\ld>&
Thomas A. Edison, Esq.
\&-1
February is
Dear &ir:-
Enolosed herewith we are pleased to send you pre¬
liminary specifications and approximate prices for eleotrio
locomotives to he used with your storage batteries, in passen¬
ger, freight and switching service, as specified by you at
our reoent conference.
Very possibly you may desire some further informa¬
tion and we would appreciate the opportunity to discuss these
specifications with you. If you will kindly advise what day
it will be convenient, Mr. Dodd or mysblf will hold ourselves
in readiness to meet you at your office in Orange.
Yours very truly,
( v
Engineer, By. & Tract. Dept.
VJBP/H
GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
SCHENECTADY, N. Y.
Soheneotady, H. Y., Feb. 10, 1912.
Mr. ThomaB A. Edison,
Orange, E. J.
Dear Sir:
Referring to preliminary report on electrio
locomotives for use in connection with your storage
batteries, which we are today submitting for your con¬
sideration, our approximate price is $24,600.00 F.O.B.
Soheneotady, for the first locomotive for either passenger
freight or switohing service as covered by report above
referred to and specifications Hos. 859 and 860, and an
approximate prioe of $22,000.00 for subsequent locomotives
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
rrelimmary report
os '
pjT.unTHTG LOCOMOTIVES !
L ^ ' 'for - \ • •
1 TOISOTT STORAGE BATTERY
Submitted by General. Eleotrio Company
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
PRELIMINARY REPORT OH-
ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVES
EDISON STORAGE BATTERY.
Submitted by-
GENERAT. ELECTRIC CO.
SC HE1IEC TABY , II . Y
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
STORAGE BATTERY LOCOMOTIVE.
The enclosed speoifioations, curves ana description cover
a locomotive which is proposed to ho operated in connection with
a storage hattory tender. For the purposes of preliminary
oaloulation this tender »ae been assumed to weigh about 50 tons.
The voltage of the battery is assumed to vary from 350 volts
at open circuit to 210 volts at the maximum rate of disohargo.
There will be furnished upon the locomotive either a standard
set of third rail shoes or an overhead trolley suitable for
collecting ourrent for operation of the locomotive alone
when disconnected from the storage battery tender- *or ordinary
operation and when hauling loads current will bo delivered to
the locomotive at suitable toiminals at each end of the loco¬
motive where flexible leads or jiimpers coming from the storage
battery tender can be attached. This specification does not
cover these leads or any special devices in connection with
the storage battery, it being assumed that these devices will
be covered by the storage battery estimate.
These designs and speoifioations are submitted for
preliminary purposes only. The equipments have been designed
with a oapacity for hauling the specified weight of train at
the specified speeds. Some variation in this oapacity can
he obtained by furnishing more or less forced ventilation,
but the amount of this cannot bo decided until complete details
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
are furnished shoeing the exact requirement of the service.
s.0h details reuld m.lndei- «» »»”'>-«' « intermediate .top.
end .10. down.; the nmennt of layover, at the end of the
10 mile run; the .meant ef sritablng at te»inal. beta...
ran.! end other el.ilar detail.. *lth »»”h information it
rill he possible to »*• «»«1 a*11”1" recommendation. as
t, .hat snoant of foro.d ventilation if any. *11 »• reinlred
' .pen the motors or .hether «... modlfloatio. in the «ndlnE.
and deslen of tho motors her. presented is advisable.
PARRSTiGER LOCOMOTIVE?,
The locomotive proposed for passenger servioe is de¬
signed to moot the following re quiremonts : -
S^°Uht“of tfa^exolusive of locomotive
Max^sSea-vS SK -ight of train - 40 M
The locomotive whose consideration we recommend for
this servioe is a geared, articulated type of locomotive equipped
with 4 GBZ-247 motors. She outline and dimensions of the looo-
motive are shown on Photo. #221020- attached to specifications.
Speo. #859- eives a description of the construction
and equipment of this locomotive .
Charaoteristic curves of the GEZ-247- motor are
attached to the specifications. Also curves of the locomotive
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
complete showing the speed and tractive effort at various
ourrants as ohtained with various oombinations of motors. The
chnraoteriatio curves of the OM-847- are based upon a con-
a taut voltage of 300 Volta at the motor terminals lmt the
locomotive characteristics aro based upon a voltage at the
motors varying from 350 Volta at open circuit to £10 Volta
at 5000 amps, output.
She data of this curve aro briefly tabulated in tho
following table. This table given the oharaoteri sties of the
locomotive in current requirement and speed on various stops
of tho controller with a maximum tractive effort of 30000 lbs.
it also gives the same characteristics with a tractive effort
of 4P00 lbs., which corresponds approximately to the tractive
effort required to move a 600 ton train, upon a level traoh. In
this table the successive columns refer to various motor com¬
binations as follows:—
Col. I- All motors in series.
Col. II- Motors in series with fields shunted.
Col. Ill-Motors in series parullel with full field.
Col. IV- Motors in series parallel with shunted field,
Col. V- Motors in parallel with full field.
Col. VI- Motors in parallel with shunted fioia.
In addition to those six running steps it is prob¬
able that about six rheostat steps will be required to pre¬
vent undue fluctuations of current and tractive effort between
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
successive running stapa , making a total of about 1*- con¬
troller stops »
PASSENGER LOCOMOTIVE CHARACTERISTICS.
I II
Tr. Eff. 30000 3000®
Curr. por loco. 970 1200
Speed 3.5 4.0
Tr. Eff. 4800 4800
Curr. Por Loco. 288 370
Speed 8 10
Res. Motors .108 .08
III 17 V VI
30000 30000 30000 30000
1940 2400 3900 4800
7.3 8.3 13.0 14. B
4800 4800 4800 4800
560 730 1100 1460
16.6 21 32 41.5
.027 .02 .007 .005
In addition to the current demanded for operating
the driving motors a certain amount, of currant will he required
for auxiliary apoaratun. approximately ns follows
Lighting oirouit 1 nmP*
Headlight £.5
Control oironits- average 6 , ,
Compressor marc. 40 amps* ave. 20 ,,
Blowor for motor ventilation _ 9_ •>
Total auxiliaries, approx. 40
FREIGHT LOCOMOTIVE
The locomotive proponed for freight service is de-
- signed to moat the fol3.owi.ne requirements.
Length of run - 10 mils a,
Maximum weight of train exclusive of locomotive
and tender 1000 tons,
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
Maximum Bpeed with this weight of train -15 MPH
The locomotive whose consideration wo reoommend
for this service is a geared articulated type of locomotive,
equipped with 4-GEZ248- motors.
The outline and dimensi ons of the locomotive are
shewn on Photo. #221020- attached to tho specifications.
Spec. #860- gives a description of the construction
and equipment of this locomotive.
Characteristic curves of the GKZ24R- motor are at¬
tached to the specifications. Also curves of the locomotive com¬
plete showing the speed and tractive effort at various currents
as obtained with various combinations of motnrs. She characteris¬
tic curves of the GKZ-24R- are based upon a constant voltage of
300 volts at the motor terminals, hut the locomotive characteris¬
tics are based upon a voltage at the motors varying from 350 Volts
at open circuit to 210 Volts at 2000 amps, output.
The data of this curve are briefly tabulated in the
following table:— This table gives the characteristics with a
maximum tractive effort of 30,000. lbs. It also gives tho same
characteristics with a tractive effort of 8800 lbs. which corres¬
ponds approximately to that required to movo an 1100 ton train
upon a level tracb. The successive columns refer to the same
motor combinations as in the corresponding table for passenger
locomotive. , Intermediate rheostat stops will he required hero
as in the passenger locomotive to prevent undue fluctuation of
ourront and tractive effort •
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
FRBIOH® MCOHOSIVT? CHARACTERISTICS.
Sr. Eff
Curr. per looo.
Speed
I- II-
30000 30000
440 580
1.2 2.0
III- IV-
30000 30000
890 1160
3.0 3.7
V- VI-
30000 30000
1770 2320
5.3 5.2
Tr< Kff> 8800 8800 8800 8800 8e00 8f00
Z,.r* *»»• 1,6 p-"° 360 *°” no 1000
3p.„a *.*
, , — , .832 .075 .058 .0187 .0145
Kea. Motors •»
Additional onrrent for oporation of auxiliaries of
approximately 40 amps, will bo required on this as on the pre¬
vious proposition.
S'.VIT CH III S 10C0M0TI VE .
;7e understand the iocomotives for switching servioe
lc i,o meet the following requirements.
Maximum weight of train exclusive of locomotive 500
t0nU‘ I5aximum speed with thi s weight of train- 8 VSR
Referring to the curves submitted for the freight loco,
motive equipped with 40K3248- motors it will he seen that the
Iir,t four motor comhinations as shown upon that curve will meet
fairly well the requirements presented for the switching locomo¬
tive. We would suggest that it will he advisable to consider the
same locomotive for freight and switching servioe using the lower
speed combinations for switching worX and the high speed combin-
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
ation for +.he
Selioneotady
Ke'b.
throng freight service.
Reapeotfully Submitted.
■fl. Blotter, Engineer,
T?AIT KM S
PRR-
, TRACTTOH TC^ARTM®T.
,u .t.
8thi?.*
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
LOCOMOTIVE specifications
general ELECTRIC CO.
SCHENECTADY. N. Y.
DKQ -
SPEC1F.CMI0N Ho....„0 4GF.Z 247-300 Volt - Locomot.vc
pPro^»“l«SeA Storoije Battery Co„. __ _ - _ "“"“"I
5rJs®a«i kbw>8p._ii— - -
Height over cab -
Height with troUey down
Width over all -
Total wheel-base -
Rigid wheel-base. -
xima to) ... WEIGHTS (App.oHm.te) g2000 lt)B
g 3 ; . .IP" Electrical equipment . . - ~'g000"", ,
. . -6" A*1 brake and compresBor-..- . . 670007 , ,
...12! . . S" Mechanical equipment - - 105000'",,
"... . 13..' . .6 . Total weight - 10&"006"", ,
JLQ.’ . . .P Weight on drivers - ""IT--""
Z.iL _ -0" Weight on guiding trucks— ! - ”2 6000
_...Sl _ .0" Weight per driving axle - ~“‘
$ I.-.....B...1 /SBead weight per driving aide - --- .
urisai —
ple-teiy- ...otiuallafiA* . """""" _
HNGS The springs will be of the best cast steel tempered in oil, and each proportioned to the weight
to be carried, with ample factors of safety.
7T. »t.,xSntT.S‘W~’ _
:r of centers . . . . . T""-
1 of tires .... - -
10 5JL 0SL - -
_ 2 -Xj2?. - -
_ 11CB. .Contour - •-
"rea- heia...*y-aBrintatga-Rna Holts..
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
Journals, di
Journal boa
TTniriwnrad... 0. «H^.S.taaL.
-
ing . 6.1/2” -
Goliar.ie.sa -
. sr1 . -
Cast staal — . -
. .
PLATFORM ^ u , _ h. hoilt UD of structural steel longitudinal and cross sills, stiffened
by brace plates a
or.X/4..-inch t
jiemns KtUM.!***
.
££ °j ESsSs; Sin ..a pr lnfia... and- £ olio*: ax. ..Pi ft.tfl.3
Type of bufTers.—IlQIlQ _ _ _ _ _
»•»»« «• - « ^"T
„. -.1 „ „„,i the ends o£ the cab will be built of K inch steel, the roof of No. 8 steel, sub-
°-S' ted to a frame work of steel angles properly braced and riveted together.
"" _
. . . 'T„s will be of wood glased with first quality double-thick glass.
r£S£hans:ssEass^^“-
a Ad- O-pamt-ing— pOdU4dXHa* —
(Page 2)
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
TOOLS AND FIXTURES teel to 1 box with wrenches, hummer, chisels, packing tools, pinch
‘ bar, ouT
H w“o.p.f^ .
AIR B?UKE EQDE!^.E.N.S.e.mral..^lao~trio..5ly.pfl--Iife~a^s^1^^^,^^0'msti0
;7r brAka..Xax...dnub^
Main reservoirs.... . Im..-.a4!.V..X...46.-. - - - - .
51 “r brake cylinder . J?. QUX. - - - “
vij Air signaL.....wJ.lX...'h£L.pr.axid.aA....- - -
I .
AIR COMPRESSOR Motor tf.riVOn»ir rnmoressor.. having a total
. . ■» w * - • »»•»»
1 MOTORS _ SKZ-P.47- IlOX
l MSS£jS£SSSL I ife 3&£ ovSl^Uon 9*.^
1 Rating “ m - .ampem's «*> ^ ^ ^ ^
j r“ted 'suspension011!'^. . -
GEARS AND = g^gl . Gcar tceth _ M _ Pinion leeth. — . .
Tima itaSk on
CONTROL ^ ^ ^
intormeciiato
.'Idct IS- xhuni-ani. .r.heoatat •ntapa.. . .
^,t"™^CXTr the specified" service wiU he provided and properly secured
H TJZZ^Zr^Tsp^ above, the necessary appamtus will be provided for
the locomotives from any master controller. Electric
contro g aooaratus and details thereof will be in accordance with the Genera •
Company's smndard practice unless otherwise specified and detailed as part of the contract.
COLLECTING DEVICES ^ ^ ^ ^ _ troUey-and base._.s«itably insulated for collecting
_ _
_
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
i Spue. No„859 -
'; LIGHTING AND MISCELLANEOUS ^EQUIPMENT ^ ^ iUum,'naUng cub ond gauges, and tor head-
.,j '”’ht Headlights. . 2- «ultl inoonileacent HeaAlfefthtB .
j . "XmXra- an^voltmotorfl vii 11 fce conveniently locatoil .
_ Sea tables and onrves attached
CAPACITY t tra.n wh.ch the ,ocomotivc wiU handlecontinuouslyinactunlservice
.
vdt.^t'thh roUng the locomotive^vill operate a train of approximately . tons gross
i weight, including locomotive, running free on a grade of. . . Pcr cent- ^ ^ _
The maximum instantaneous tracli™C"^
’’“"“^te i tangent track will he approximate, y . . *****
.. . ft trnin 0f _ . tons gross weight, assuming . pounds per ton
PAINTING AND LETTERING ^ ^ p.i|n;cdi lhe exterior,. color black; the interior
nished by\h“?usfomerUSithUfhi' »ntractb°
testing
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
LOCOMOTIVE SPECIFICATIONS
GENERAL ELECTRIC CO.
SCHENECTADY, N. Y.
Specification No _ MO. _ Date - -
Specification for A...M!40-..R_jA^..4aKK...£48---300- -VOltfl - Locomotive
Proposed for. . - “
rwFBAL DESIGN SAfi pi A±faim.-oarCTiiW-JftB&l-.ixal>a-aBfl.-jaaimtaa-
railway. .. motars^. - - - - ”
Design shown by - - - -
general DIMENSIONS (,
Length Inside of knui
Length ovor cab -
Height over cab... —
Height with troUoy 6
Width over alL -
WEIGHTS (Approximate)
_ x)n Weight on guiding trucks -
Min. radius of curvature — H50-'- -
—8-1/2 'Dead weight pe
running gea^^ r.VWnine f^sr- GGnB}Bts of- -two. iour.^hool '4;*a^8.-
oofiple-t«ly-effiMtll*«»art - j““ _ _ _ _
SPRINGS
he best cast steel tempered in oil, and each proportioned to the weight
carried, with ample factors of safety.
“ Wheels will be purchased from reliable manufacturers and will be subject only to wheel ms
guarantees. Driving Wheels Guiding Truck Whee
Type and material ...3tnol -tlT BB -On-<WV&t StaaL-AWntayS -
-.PopBBd- -b$
ne
•8— 1-/8" —
•MGS — contour .
***** ‘
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
I TOOLS AND FIXTURES
| bar, . to be jojUr tyke djbjr. . nl, j* .w.lt h ..val yo. at ... e noh -Seat .
Jll Beil id.th ! i n ringor w ,1) hr* planed on one? oak.
Whistle-fiMmlteO^^^ -
I AIR BRAKE EQUIPMENT
- .
to»]ce Xor.iTini^^JSM.„OTfiEfliiQiiJilLJhfi...T!rflsl.dftiU _
Main reservoirs- ?W- 34". X 4fi’.L . . . . . .
Air brake cylinder „X0AUr...8"-. fliftraS.1J.f’X... _ _ _ _ _
Air signal..Vii21..-feft-.Sr.0.?.lAfl.e..^ -
AIR COMPRESSOR
There will be provided in the cab ..MCI .tlOX.. .Cl 2T.1 .Y.OIl....air compressor ....having a total
I piston displacement o£ . .7.5 ...cubic feet per minute when delivering air at a pressure of....l3.Q...
e pounds per square inch and operating at3Q.Q. . volts.
Number . ...P.QHr„„ _ _ Type„GEZ-/i4P-.-..'b.QX-j;x.atiia.^flar.o.iJ.^-.oammutfi-
tlng po.l«(....iao..tQx.a,..tle.aign.6.a...f.or..„Qperft't;j£»i.„an_3.0.0...s.Qli;fl -
Gear ratio . !.E! . Gear teeth _ SIS; -
ons...Qj;...fPXKO..<1..6i.OOl - - - -
rs.....£orgpi„.ate.ol-ii«iM...r.i.?>R.J?teim.K._f
CONTROL EQUIPMENT . . , ..
1 The locomotive will be equipped with Type-- k . .Oi.ngl0...?.W1.1;„. . control
With...2...maa.t0.r....controllers arranged for steps and combinations^ as follows:...-"........ ...
I in .fl.er.i.o.a^_.a.oxiQfl..pornll.Ql.-flad..uivr.ft.TJ..0.1..^_.t.k.-lniernodj£ito field
i Bhim±...atid..r)ifto.Qiat..at6.|ia. . - . - .
3.0. . locomotives may be operated in multiple.
. Contactor® of proper sise to operate the power circuits will be included with Type M control.
If multiple unit operation is specified above, the necessary apparatus will be provided for
J All control apparatus and details thereof will be in accordance with the General Electric
Company’s standard practice unless otherwise specified and detailed as part of the contract.
i
•^COLLECTING DEVICES ui bl ’ 1 t d f U f
i? current at . . volts from a trolley conductor located . . . . ~~ . .
‘i 8uitabletorjairuila.5vilX'hQflupDllod.fox.CQnneot.irif;...thaf]..eKi>)le
% r . loads extending from the storage
ha ttery-tender — . . . . . - . . . . .
.....leads extending from the storage
(Page
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
Spec. No....eeO .
lighting and miscellaneous equipment
Headlights. . gwjJul'fcilncnnrloHnfln'thendliRhts .
Heating apparatus . HOIW . - . - .
. Amnre-tBra' anft'"voltmB'tor '•'wl.ll ■ ‘be" oomrantontly located ;•
_ See taW.QB and onrvoB attached
(Note.— The weight of train which the locomotive wiU handle continuously in actual serv
will depend on the grades, their length and frequency, number of stops, character of service, a
other conditions which must be given in detail before guarantees can be made.)^
pounds, the speed . -....miles per hour and the total input . amperes at...- .
volts. At this rating tho locomotive will operate a train of approximately . tons gr
The maximum instantaneous tractive cllort for starting purposes will be
pounds with a current of . amperes per motor, assuming 26 per cent. ce~
The maximum speed on a level tangent track will be approximately .
hour with a train of . tons gross weight, assuming . pounds per t.
. miles per hour.
_ 30 primed and s
green, with standard aluminum lettering but
nished by the customer with the contract.
ably painted, the exterior, color black, the interior
» other striping. Information on lcttenng to be tur-
S AND NUTS
All bolt threads will be U. S. standard except where finer threads are necessary.
tion . , * Schenectady _uhfact
The locomotive will be erected complete in running order at . suoject
to the purchaser’s inspection.
The following tests will he made bel on thc assemblcd locomotive, or on the
individual J&s Fn accordance with standard specifications of the General Electrie Company, or of
the A.I.E.felcMureroent o{ resistnncc of rh tats and wiring on the assembled locomotive to show
that the co^“cetr^“ “aHon” S'Fpcratiof'on a test track to test general mechanical features,
operation o^conUM^ of bearings.
delivery ^ locomotivc will llt ,klivcrcd on- HiY .H.R .Tt?. trackB at Sohenootady
care foJbeSgs. °Expc°n"F o" mess'engm'wSl be billed to purchaser at cost.
Quotation and delivery are based on the J0“”?‘iT“n7£c„tl Z l^Ued fn acJoFdaiee with the
Specification prepared by. . SiTvPOdil - -
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
■! _
mMm
.
3NWEAUTH EDlSOfl COMfANV
. ?_
/ 3 // %_ ,
<^-7
•£-*—»-' / _
'h k^^ ^ 1_^Z^dL^ CP^-^yo PPZZZy^
xJd £. f jZZ ^ J ssZl jsf . ^pK-^OLS-stA-^-yj (sb-K* S*~£~4-JuJ?*~-(AsOq
^v ^ pL^c^i Cczyzzr
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4yU-—OtA~ oPh^—^'CP ■4-stsL'
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^-^V' J ~&-*-o- IPjUs-y V“
1^ y/c^f ry^pp yyy^LA,
0-4 o^ 'W-PZaLv^ /Ovi^r- 'lA+SjLM
A^fo^u^u^c ^-^-yi -
c /Pn^ tz*. ^Jzyzy^ js u^as-
^ t C*0O\As 4S-*PC v C^,0
i-0-vt^o 'U^y ^ ^Co^t^oULo^^j
jP<TOO-*^r y~
„ v Cl oC^I
Cc
- 9~~
, C^A^lX Ls^UCAj
6^m C^^UuCnA,
S'/ 7, >£• . 0% siA^trv^-> o~^Y^ '^r'
February 15, 1912.
Mr. Edison, -
I have the names and addresses of 558 registered
steam vessels of the United States. I propose to write
a booklet on the speoial subject of small storage battery
plant to be charged in the daytime and to operate the
electric lights of the vessel at night. Of course, w&iie
the vessels have not already electric lights, a little
generator can be driven by the propeller shaft and vail
accomplish the result for charging.
Owing to my familiarity with marine conditions,
I think X can get up a nice booklet for this, as soon as
I get this advertising matter under way. I think it would
be a good scheme to. start this.
Hutch.
February IB, 1912.
Mr. Mis on, -
There are 110,000 motor boats in uae in the
United States. Bach one of them has some kind of battery
for ignition, and a large majority of them have need for
electric lights. None of the engines are self-starting.
I suggest that we take up the self-starting matter with
the motor boat manufacturers, and work out a proposition
for them the same as we have for the automobiles. I also
suggest that we go into the motor boat papers, with ad¬
vertisements about April first.
Hutch.
-<£-. VC C-Cl- f*5^--- t- t-tc .
Ct _ Jet-cr. d-ttcxv^
&CZE£
- I^^^JZjz. CrXA^ b~*-r> v"i-t^.jfi.«v*'-tf,ow
February 16th, 1912.
WEUMIFARY C.UCUIATIOES OK EBISOI! BATTERY REOJTIBED
FOR G. S. IPOOMOTITBS FOB I. G. H. H.
A. passenger locomotive
Conditions
. 3pcci flection #859
:or. train 10 miles
i level 40 H P H.
Assumed Pate
rotors In parallel with full field ( combination V)
assumed to ho r.ormr.l running combination.
Tractive Effort, lhs. 4800 8ggp°
Current, amperes JU^P ' 13
Speed, miles oer hour ™
Amp-hr. ceuacity of battery fl/8" tubes) 20 A-H per
C-type positive; or, 150 A-H per S-type positive.
Internal Resistance: .012 ohm per C-type positive, or
.0016 ohm per S-type positive.
Kormt-1 Batten/, 270 cells, type S-22 ( 5 x 5 ]
Capacity 5300 amp-hrs.
1100 amp. for 5 hours.
Av. voltage S 1100 amp. (normal) 320
u n 5900 11 (maximum) 265
ITo. of 10-mile trips per charge 9.6
Appro*. bet„0._ .coll„, «, tt.
" height overall, 41 inches.
Small Battery, 276 cells, type 5-15 (5 t. 5 )
Capacity 2250 amp-hrs. or 1100 amp. for 2.05 hours
Av. voltage - 1100 amp. (normal) 320
«t « ^ 3900 " (mexiinum ] 238
To. of 10-milc trips per charge, 6.5
Aoorox. weight, 62 tons „ , ,.r «
floor space (1" between cells) 26o sq. -t.
« height overall, 41 inches.
I > Freight locomotive, G.E. Specification £860
Conditions
m0 null 1000 ton train 10 miles
w8X‘ sueed on level 15 M P H.
As siimed Beta
Kotors In parallel with full field (combination Y)
assumed to he normFl running combination.
Tractive Effort, lhs.
Current, amperes
Speed, miles per hr.
Average
PBOn
710
11
formal Battery, 270 cells, typo 5-14 (5x3)
Torsi Condition
30000
1770
5.3
Capacity 2100 arap-hrs., or 710 amperes for
Av. voltage ? 710 amp. (normal) 320
» >• " ?1770 ” (rncxiimm) 287
Ho. of 10-miifi trips per chcrge, 3.25
Approx, v/eight , 57 tons
” floor apsoe fl" between cells) 24
" height overall, 41 inches
2.96 hrs .
5 sq . ft .
Small Battery, 278 cells, type 3-10 (5x5)
Capacity 1500 amp-hrs., or 710 amperes for 2.1 hours
Av. voltage @ 710 amp. (normal) 320
» " "1770 " (maximum) 273
Eo. of 10-mile trips per charge, 2.3
Aporox. weight, 45 tons
"* floor space (1" between cells) 202 sq. ft.
" height overall, 41 inches.
A. II. HOWLAND
■\VOUCESTK«, MASS.
, <L*-<
. L-'i
Mr. Thomas Edison:
Orange, H. J. ^
Daar slr! Uc? n^V^'
I have an eleotrioally operated wa$>h th^t I ^ ^trouhled^
finding a battery with a long enough lifo_t° make
and write to enquire if you have
X. trU r" u
anything ofj the ’kind? |
The
ordinary dry oell mixtures, in the small quantity, re¬
quired will furnish ourrent for only about 17 days, while X desire
a battery that will furnish ourrent for 60, or more days, the linger
the better.
The amount of ourrent required iB very Blight, pi* motion
of the esoapement, but as this motion takes plaoe quite rapidly, onoe
with eaoh vibration of the esoapement pawl, the volume of motions for
60 days, or more, is oonsiderable.
The desired battery should be quite small, the smaller the
better, so that it may be attaohed, perhaps, to the fob ohain of the
watoh, or oarried in a vest pooket opposite the watoh pookef7with
a oonneoting ohain, with oentral bar for the front button hole, whidi
ever Btyle the person obtaining one might desire. As the large, space
taking works of the ordinary watoh will be eliminated in my movement,
it might be possible, if the right battery were obtainable, to make
the movements of the watoh in a very thin shell and plaoe the battery
direotly on the baok thereof and make the total thickness not muoh, if
any, in exooss of many present spring movement watohs; this would be a
very desireable arrangement. Can you furnish me with suoh a battery?
Yours respeotfully,
February IB, 1912,
Mr, Edison, -
I have just .received a letter from
Mr. R. W. Clark,
Assistant Commercial Agent,
Minneapolis General Electric Co
Minneapolis, Minn.,
as follows:
"Mr. Edison, Mr. Bee and yourself will be
interested to know (if not already advised) that
we have recently purchased three new electrio
trucks from three different builders, with
Edison Battery equipment. Confidentially, about
a dozen more are to be purchased in the near
future. Above purchased trucks are to be ex¬
hibited: at the exposition of the General Vehicle
Company, ^Detroit, and Studebaker."
M. R. H.
The Doctor says I ought to^etay off my feet for
three or four days longer. i\\ It ia nothing
serious, just a slight 'ftreticV of the ankle.
I am very anxious tol you go over to the
General Vehicle Comphny\\ I know just how
Mr, wagoner and Mr. iloydJfeel. They have sold
in the neighborhood of 3150,000 worth (list)
of Edison Batteries in the las t thirty days . I
know they would appreciate your going over to
Long Island City and looking over their plant; but
the main thing is for you to see their new chassis.
They have on the floor a five- ton truck made
especially for Edison Batteries for S. Liebmann
& Son. Jack Ross or Walter Holland - either would
be a good man to go over with you, and if you could
see your way clear to go over the first of the week
I think it would help the situation a lot.
wgb/gpw.
February 19, 1912.
Mr . Hut ohi s on : -
The status of the alleged infringement of our storage
battery patents by the Newark oonoem is as follows
Mr. Robinson of the Banner Safety lamp Company oame out
here on January 31st last and told us that the Newark oompany was
preparing to put on the market a niokel-iron storage battery very
similar to or substantially the same as the Edison battery; that
Mr. Hubbell of the Newark oompany had certain patent applications
allowed in Ootober whioh would go to patent in Maroh on a battery
of this character; that only two of the new batteries had been
made as yet; that §20,000 was being spent in machinery, eto. for
the manufacture of these batteries; and that the new batteries
would probably not be put on the market until Maroh. Mr.
Robinson promised that he would keep us informed of any new
developments in this matter. We can take no action until the
new batteries are put on the market. In view of the likeli¬
hood of a nickel-iron storage battery very similar to the
Edison battery being put out by this concern at an early date,
Mr. Dyer has instructed me to defer having the tests made on
Hubbell battery, that is, the silver-cadmium-mickel battery, and
to hold the entire matter in abeyance until the new batteries are
put on the market.
HL-JS
February 26, 1912.
Mr. Edison, -
The following memorandum for your exclusive perusal.
Comes from Washington.
"The day you were in, Courtney returned to the office,
and put off his walk for the next day.
"I wanted to talk with you, hut couldn't see any way
to work it in.
"The Electric Storage Battery Company are getting quite
excited about our specifying Edison Celia, especially
for the ALABAMA. There is plenty of business in the Navy,
hut it needs working over. The Edison for secondary inter¬
ior communication and telephone current supply is now go¬
ing in fine shape, and is practically a recognized stand¬
ard with us. Guess I told you we are shifting over the
latest ships building to have this system. All this how¬
ever, is too small to be interesting. It should be extended
to an auxiliary lighting system, which would take in
practically the wholeship for periods during action. We
have that started by setting the example in dynamo and
distribution room, and it is only a case of having the
engineers demand for fire and engine-rooms, OrdSahbe
Officers for magazines, etc.
"This is net going good yet. It is better to go by a slow
process, then there is no question as to Edison, and not
especially designed room, etc., but not too slow.
-2-
"Thla 1b only a start however, and what I wanted to talk
with you about, ia to pave the way for each turret to
have a battery that it can operate independently of the
rest of the ship . This should be worked up in Bureau of
Ordnance, and have them forward it from Bureau of Steam
Engineering. We would then have it included aa an estimate
for next year, and be included in the Naval Bill, and
amount be assigned to that purpose. X am afraid my ideas
exoeed my patience in writing, so will wait till Isaiee
you, and talk matters over.
"With best regards - - -
Please destroy this immediately after reading.
Hutchison.
; 7 ?S//y£
February 28 »
Mr .Charles Edison,
6 Louiaburg Square,
Boston, Mass.
My dear Charles, -
9 your postal of Monday.
1 think there must he sonet ning^ the
SISK'S .
?i“. If it .mi .MB" dUOy, 1J- » 1l,v. 1 don't
«;„» ,io“Su Wtu * 1"‘ “ “
3oston.
I'll hanged if 1 Jno*
with this Mailing ^apartment. ^},^y journal reprints
^rnofarriving'^esul^ly. »e^£J a^^lf Experience
saw®
&5^iiSSrJ. '
Things are certainly too^S-^^^Na^Sournal
out over ono hundred, tnousana^o ^ therefrM?. In aodit-
iS^’^So^. adopted.0 the »tUf& a
number1 of * uses SSdrtlP^ ^standard equipment.
Your father made up his ^^tuSSd over
"done* I am pitting out is a |°°d *^icity end .of the
to me the entire advertising and P f Mcoh9ehey'a
Storage Battery 0°^ta»sorl-because 1 placed a number of
handB. McChesney got a0£! mad to be making a succeee
advertisements ^f^'busSn^sT thereae they tad not. A.
hande and forwarded It <
I had# already contracted for two pagei
Electrical World,
gngineerinG and Mining Journal,
Iron Age,
Mo tor .Age ,
The Automobile,
Journal of Commerce,
ijsisishsss-"*-
1 nm f-oin.-t to duplicate the letters that I
have Put into the to
to conform »o tne reijui-. sa - , ' ''gome" busy,
SSStSfiSo' writing sim¬
ultaneously with both hanrtn and ooth feet.
sntir. «
gg
"rP-hU^f it r °;rg»r“f..PyV.r, .ho.,.
sr
Th» tvhole page in the Journal of “<?nml!£°e w111
come out every Friday. It is directlyopposlte the-
editorial page. Keep your eyes skinned for it.
1 am going out to Minneapolis on the fourteenth,
sincerely.
<^*4 -ft—
u. ^ -t-V^r -f> — l <*+~f>
«? . t~ X il im^ls
db^QJl rc_i .
sncJ\
Cfi^yV^, OwU'iAtj ^Isd-ij/ o
,:M^h cult dn Ynmf^A^r/
' (P&ws§ -
v^atoeUiii, 1912.
Mr , Dyer ,-
I have a letter from Monnot, European Represent¬
ative, from which I quote as follows:
"Regarding the Gouin Battery, it is not that
I am afraid of it, and you know that I am not
a "chicken hearted" fellow. I wrote you ana
Mr. JtdiBOn to keep you posted on what was pend¬
ing over here, thinking it would he of inter¬
est, hut whit may happen -is that Gouin would
just make the Edison Batteryriunder the cover
of his name. He is certainly trying to put up
some financial soherne, and to get money both
in France and in England. There has just been
published tww long articles in a French paper
on the alkaline-iron-nickel storage battery,
which is very partial to the Gouin battery.
In comparing the .Edison Battery to the Gouin
battery, they say that the battery contains
graphite in the positive plates, and that the
loss of active material is very important. They
state that in the Gouin battery the Iobb of
active material is absolutely prevented, on
account of the surface of the positive plates
being oxidised by a speoial process, and. tnis
oxide “being porous, allows the action of the
electrolyte^ I hare no time now to tell y°u
more about this, hut I will have a translation
made in English, and sent to you. I intend to
shortly write an article in answer to this one,
as X think it advisable not to leave the im¬
pression on the technical people that would he
created by this article."
M, R. HUTCHISON ,
PRESIDENT’S OFFICE
Memorandum
2054D
March 2 , 1912.
Mr. Hutchinson:
X return you herewith translation of the
article on the Gouin cell prepared hy S. k. Montpellier,
which I have read with interest-
Bo you know what connection there is between
Montpellier and Gouin. or in other words, how many of the
statements in the article are based on self-interest?
In the case of litigation against the Gouin cell
in this country, this article will be very important in its
admissions as to the mechanical construction and chemical
reactions of the Gouin cell.
March 2,
1912.
Mr. Edison, -
I think the best way to get the operating
cost of. the one ton truck from the Phonograph Works is
to address a memorandum to some of the people down there,
saying that you want it. I doubt whether the data has been
kept in such shape as to be readily available, and X also,
doubt whether anyone else could get it but just yourself.
I would like to have this data as soon as poss¬
ible, because I want to get the advertisement I explained
to you to go into an early' issue in some of the mediums
we are using. Hutch.
to see you and, perhaps, persuade you to take up the matter, not
only for our own uses, Mr. Karl being interested with me in the
watch matter, but for the uses of others. My friend. Dr. J. C.
Hubbard, Professor of Physics in Clark College, this City, with
whom X have talked on the subject, says that they would be glad
indeed if such a battery could be had, they now use small acid
batteries in their research work and are troubled greatly by the
leakage, which not dnly wastes the energy of the battery but in¬
jures articles with which it comes in contact in their laboratory.
I sincerely trust you may be able to do something in this
line. Again thanking you for your reply I remain.
Yours respectfully.
/g<yv*ry/ Sfor* ip- -
PRESIDENT’S OFFICE
Memorandum
2054D March 4, 1912.
Mr. Hutchinson:
I return herewith letter iron^'Hr. James
Lawrence und also the papers relating to the Gouin Battery.
I suggest that you keep me informed of any devel¬
opments in this direction and if any .{it tempt is made to
market the Gouin battery in the United States, obtain, if
ossible, a sample so that it may be examined and analyzed
with the view of getting ready to bring suit.
Ordinarily a preliminary injunction cannot be
secured until a patent has been sustained by the Courts,
but there have been oases whore this rule has not been fol¬
lowed. /
March 4, 1912.
Mr. Dyer,-
Your memo of Marchsecond received.
In view of the importance of this
translation, I am having a oopy made to he for- v
warded to you for your files.
• I know of no connection between Mont¬
pelier and Gouin, except that they are both
Frenchmen. Montpelier has seemed to he very
much biased in favor of the Gouin cell, and I
do not doubt but that there is some collusion
between them.
It might be an interesting matter to
make an investigation through the regular
commercial agency channels. Mr. Edison subscribes
to the Proudfoot Commercial Agency of New iork,
and they are exceptionally good on this kind
of thing. Perhaps you think it wise to call the
Proudfoot Commercial Agency in on this matte”.
M. R. HUTCHISON.
March 12th, 1912.
Mr. W. G. Bee:
I at last landed the Pennsylvania order as you know. Yester¬
day morning I telegraphed Mr. B. P. Wood, Asst. Eng. at Altoona,
Pa. and at 12 o'clock not having received a reply, I took a
train for Philadelphia.
Shortly after arriving in Mr. Porcher's, Asst. Purchasing Agent’s
office he was called on the phone from Altoona hy Mr. Wood, and
Before the conversation was ended I was called in, and after a
long talk with Mr. Wood regarding pur attitude on the 20% dis¬
count, he advised Mr. Porcher to go ahead and place the order
with us, at the same time registering a protest against discrim¬
ination, as he called it, in our not allowing this 20% to them
Mr. Porchor advised me that +hey were placing orders for 500
sets of batteries for 64 volts. This would mean with us 50
cells to the set. Hr. Porcher told me that if we would give
them the 20% they would place with us an order for 200 sets
of 50 cells each type A-8H. I told him that Mr. Edison had
advised me that he could not alio >.7 this 20% arid, therefore,
I had to let the order go to the lead people.
Phis question is becoming more or less serious with the Pennsyl¬
vania and while we may get more or less business from them in
small lots, I doubt if they will ever give us any great amount
of business, or at least will not do so for sonetime to come
until the battery has proven it3elf from every point of view
to be superior to the lead.
As to the magnitude of business done by the Pennsylvania would
refer you to the number of setB purchased by them during the
year 1911. Outside of batteries purchased in conjunction with
axle device, they purchased 1,000 sets of 32 cells each, 300
ampere hour lead batteries. These batteries they buy for approxi-
mat ely$480.00 per set, whereas our price for the equivalent am¬
pere hour capacity and voltage is $1,300.00. You can, therefore,
see that it is pretty hard work to get them to appreciate the
full value of the Edison Battery, and especially the Purchasing
Agent throws up his hands in horror when he sees the two pnceB.
Mr. Wood has made it his business during the past week, as he
told me, to investigate a great many firms to whom we sold batter¬
ies and to whom we gave this 20%, and finding a numbor of such
concerns buying a smaller amount of material in dollars and cents
than they might be inclined to give ub, could not understand why
we discriminated against them.
We have secuted this order for 2500 A-8's and I am doubtful if
we secure any more business this year, although I shall not stop
trying to land anything that comes along, but it certainly is
getting more difficult for me to explain to Mr. Wood why it is
W.G.Bee
Page #2
March 12th, 1912
that we are willing to lose money, this being the statement that
I have made to him regarding all batteries sold at 2 0% to these
other customers, and continue to do so and not be willing to
do the same for them.
I do not want you to feel that it is my desire to give this
80% discount, on the contrary, I am only too glad to fight
for the price list, becaiise 1 feel that- by getting the price
list 1 am helping the organisation to a firmer basis but when
you have an order offered you for some $260,000 it makes you
want to weep to have to let it go, knowing that other customers,
perhaps buying less material, are getting this 20%. But if
you are satisfied and Mr. Edison is, I certainly will not raise
my voice in protest.
March 21, 1912.
My dear Mr. Edison, -
Through some "hitch" with the Western
Union, Clark did not succeed in getting a wire through to
your house, for opening the Electrical Show. It is just the
same, however, ao he arranged for the key to bo closed at
two o'clock by someone in the main office at Minneapolis .
The closing of the key sounded a Klaxon, operated by Edison
Storage Battery, announcing to the Governor receipt of
the formal opening signal. He thereupon closed the switches
and started the thing going, A messenger then handed him
your message, which he read from the band platform to
quite a large aggregation of people* They cheered vociferous¬
ly, I then took hira downstairs and got hint to dictate his
reply to you into an Edison Dictating Machine. Had the
. newspaper men on the job, and quite a few stories were the
result.
I addressed the American Institute of
Electrical Engineers at 2 P . M. Monday, having shoved my
date up from 5P. M. Tuesday, owing to the abijonce of some¬
one who was' booked for 2?. K. Monday. This enabled me to
run down to St. Paul and after addressing the National El¬
ectric bight Association, take the 11.30 P. M. train Monday
for Orange, arriving yesterday afternoon,
I find a tremendous interest in Edison
Sdisane Battery throughout the Middle West. These adver-
tisements we are putting in now are being very highly spoken
of by everyone with whom I have talked. A number of people
in the audience at both of these meetings came up to express
their opinion on the subject, in each case being favorable.
All seemed to be delighted that we have started this cam¬
paign of publicity which they state has been sorely needed
for some months past.
I am enclosing letter from H. W. Balk,
\ /
^ /}
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[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
V/fi April 17th, 1912
Dear Sir:~
At the present time there is an exceptional oppor¬
tunity for men of moderate capital to establish themselves in a
reputable and continuing business which will afford a large
per centage of profit on the money invested, with a minimum of
risk.
1 refer to the eouipment of gasoline automobiles
with electric lighting outfits comprising Edison Storage Batter¬
ies, together with electric lamps for head. Side and tail
lights, as well as special examination lamp. The current from
the batteries is also available for use for sparking and for
operating a Klaxon or similar horn.
After soliciting the customer the manner of conduct¬
ing the business is to have the customer’s car wired by a compe¬
tent wireman, and all the lights and batteries properly installed.
The customer pays for the wiring, for any special fixtures he
requires, and for the lamps, but not for the batteries.
The batteries remain the permanent property of
our Agent and are placed in a steel box at Borne convenient place
on the machine. This box is locked and the key retained by the
Agent so that the batteries are. under his control and cannot be
meddled with.
When the batteries run low in current the customer
takes his machine to the Agent's place of business, where the
box is opened, the exhausted batteries taken out and a new and
fully charged set put in their place. All of this is done in a
few minutes. The Agent then recharges the exhausted batteries
with electric current, thus making them ready for a similar
exchange with the same or any other customer.
The Agent purchases the batteries from the Edison
Storage Battery Company, and they are hiB property. He chargeB
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
(2)
the customer a monthly rental for the batteries, ana, in
addition, a charge for each exchange. It is in these charges
that the Agent'B profit consists, and it will he very evident
that the larger the number of customers, the greater the aggregate
monthly earnings. The percentage of profit of one well managed
concern has been shown to be 50% on the money invested, and, be¬
sides this,an additional income has been earned from the sale
of lamps and other supplies.
A person going into this business would need to incur
only a moderate rental for a store or other place. He would re¬
quire a small charging plant consisting of engine and dynamo
for recharging the batteries, The cost of such a plant complete
would be but a f ew hundred dollars. The engine might be of
the gasoline type, and the whole plant could be operated by any
man of medium intelligence. The Agent might either employ a
wireman or may make arrangements v/ith a local contractor for
wiring and installation of plants on automobiles.
We are prepared to license responsible persons
to carry on this business in restricted territory with their own
capital and on their ovm account. It will be against our policy
to contract with any person for a large extent of territory
at first, but we may be willing to extend their sphere of opera¬
tion later if good results are shown.
In this letter we have used the term "Agents" to signi¬
fy those with whom we may make such arrangements, but such term
has only been used for convenience of explanation. Any person
whom we license to carry on the business above described would,
in the conduct thereof, be acting on their ovm account and re¬
sponsibility, and would not be regarded as representing our Company.
mhe above plan is not to be confounded with Country
House Lighting by Edison Storage batteries, but the two propositions
could be handled by one man in the same general territory, pro¬
vided he had sufficient capital to do juetice to both.
Yours very truly.
April 25th, 1912
Messrs. C. H. Wilson ana Eckert:-
.Mr. Edison wishes me to design a small table lamp
for restaurants, oafes, etc., using small storage cells in the
base of the lamp.
Kindly send through a requisition covering design ana
model for one Storage Battery Dining Table Damp. In accordance
with present understanding, this work will be part of the Thomas
A. Edison, Inc. products, and we will buy the storage batteries
required for the sample from the Storage Battery Company.
dhb/es
CHIEF EUSIEEER.
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April 27, 1912.
Ur. Dyer,-
The following will interest you.
By invitation, I appeared Before the General
Board yesterday morning at eleven o'clock. In order that
the proceedings might he regular and furthermore, to
prevent going over the head of Commander Craven, I turned
over the complete set of photographs to him on the train
going down, together viith the set of lantern slides which
we had made. Admiral Dewey telephoned for Commander Craven
and ha appeared with the photography, and explained the
matter in detail to the General Board while I was present.
To say that they were delighted, expresses it
hut mildly. .Each of them fchook my hand warmly indcon-
gratulation of the .Edison Organization. They claim the
photographs will he of more assistance to them than we
have any idea of. Furthermore, they especially enjoined me
again to keep the entire matter confidential.
While talking. with them, I evolved a new form
of projectile which, we think, will prevent a shell from
ricocheting. They were very much taken with the idea, and
asked me to v/ork it out further. If it will operate, as
they all anticipate, it will mean a tremendous advance
in ordnance.
Admiral Dewey, speaking for the Navy, a3ked me
to convey their warmest appreciation of the trouble we
had been put to and the expense we had undergone in mak¬
ing these special photographs. In repjy, I told him we
had simplji done so to prove that the Edison Organization
was competent to do a great many things heretofore deemed
impossible, and that the Buccess attending the efforts
in this photograph line was hut a demonstration that our
storage battery wae worked out along the same line, ex¬
cept that it took eight years instead of throe weeks to
accomplish it. Ha replied that in their minds .there is no
doubt that the Edison Battery is superior to any storage
battery in the World, and that it is only a matter of time
before it will enter very largely into Naval work. The
entire Board affirmed the assertion.
I then took up the matter of reserve wireless
batteries with the Army and Navy, and will have to go to
Washington again next Tuesday night for the purpose of
determining just how much money it will take to equip all
Government vessels with reserve wireless having Edison
Battery. I will then ask you to assist 96 in getting our
Congressman to put in a request for an appropriation to
cover Buch amount.
I departed at 2 P. M, for AnnapoliB,
-2-
of Supt. Gibbons and Captain Nalton. Addressed the Senior
Class and Commissioned Officers on the Bubj ect of .Edison
Storage Battery at .eight P. M., illustrated hy lantern
slides. Followed thiB up by a confidential description
of the action of shells in flight, permission having been
granted by the General Board by telephone.
Following the battery lecture, I threw a photo¬
graph of Mr. Edison holding the storage battery, onto
the screen, and the applause lasted for ten minutes.
After the Ho. 2 lecture on flight of shells in
air, the boys became exceedingly enthusiastic.
I did not show slides ofl the shells^ln flight
as the General Board did not want me to do sol*
The boys were especially anxious to see the
film of life aboard ship, etc. which we showed in the
Library. I told them that 1 would request of you that I
be loaned one of these films to show them next week when
I again visit the Academy, I will greatly- appreciate it
if you will give me a copy, ns they have a very competent
moving picture operator in the Academy, and on excellent
machine.
This photograph proposition is the best adver¬
tisement the Edison 3attery has ever had in the Navy, and
I am taking particular care that the Battery Is Brought
home to them very forcibly.
I expect to leave Tuesday evening, and will
appreciate it if you will allow me to take the film to
Annapolis •
Respectfully,
N. B. I turned over to Mr. Craven, the following:
2 rolls of positives made from the 6hell negatives
One complete set of photographs enlarged.
Am forwarding him today the remaining partial sets
of photographs .
PRESIDENT'S OFFICE
Memorandum
Ur. M. R- Hutchinson:
Referring your memorandum of the
27 th ult. , I shall probably J^Tsway when you go to Washington
in connection with thi may£r of reserve batteries for wire¬
less work on Governmenp /essels.
Our Congressman from this district is Hon. E. W.
Townsend, who is a personal friend of mine and who I am
sure will he glad to he of any help to you in the way of
having any proper hill introduced. I hand you herewith
a letter of introduction to him.
Regarding the film showing life abroad ship, etc.,
I have requested Mr. Plimpton to let you have a copy of
each reel if possible in order that they may be exhibited
next week at the Academy. Please remember that these
films have not been as yet released, so that the exhib-
tion should be confined to the Academy, and reported ex¬
cluded if possible.
FiD/lWW
F. 1. D.
Mr. Edison,
Since "beginning this submarine cell development. 1 have
striben to avoid worrying you with details.
It is unfortunate that discussion of C-I4 cell should have
arisen when I an unable to talk, and I furthermore do not wish to
bother you” with^ trifling detail^ But. I dont like to he censured for
seeming laok of attention to ouoh an important thing aB filling the
oell through wator trap.
Bv referring to witnoaned and dated records of this water
trap, originals with Legal Bept and copy with me, you will find,
under date of Jan. 3rd., 1912,
_ Tho fundamental principle Involved Hob
in oneniiui a vont when EILLIITO THROUGH TRAP. Partial filling
may also he done through vent - - to faoilitate filling, as
filling through trap alone may ho too alow.
Being pretty well occupied in, this advertising campaign,
I have hot had, the aotual time to follow up on some of the tests
Norton has been conducting, but 1 was under the inpre salon that
anyone with any conception of the fundamental prihoiple of the water
trap would know' that filling through the trap would no necessary
to wash baok the potash.
I had intended designing a combination filler such aB
would allow some of the water to pass through tho trap, and some
through the other opening, so that while the water within the trap
is replenished and diluted, the actual filling of the cellwouldhe
facilitated. If holes large enough to permit of rapid filling through
the trap are used, all the water in trap will he blown out on first
explosion within.
Respectfully,
Alfred j. Thompson
Foreign Mining & Investments
60 -tM Broadway
)
Thomas A. Edison, Esq., ^
Edison Laboratories, *'
May 20/12.
Orange, H . .T ,
Dear Mr Edison:-
'■
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Since our pleasant talk on Saturday ^
I have been thinking along the lines of an extensive „ s _
use of your battery and have called upon a firm or ¥* H V
bankers with a view to financing the manufacture of
say 1,000 electric taxi-cabs. \r
I have suggested to them to put out \:(c
in Ilew York City a thousand electric taxi-cabs and s/
have written the Baker Electric Vehicle Company for / ( y
a conference regarding same. / »v
If you think I should take this mat- '
ter up with the Detroit people, I will do so.
Another feature which is very import¬
ant but which I will not mention to anybody but you,
is the fact that I think I could have the City Legal
Tariff revised to such a figure that gasolene tazi-
cabs would have to go out of business or use electrics,
I suppose you know that these are
charged off in two years, as useless and they frequent¬
ly go to the junk heap after one years service.
I have an appointment with John TC.Lieb
cf the Hew York Edison Company this afternoon to get
some data on what can "be done regarding “charging rates •
Very truly yours.
AJT/G
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East Eittsuurg Pa May 25-18
Thos A Edison,
V/ost Orange NJ.
Referring your telegram today Advise what day next week I can see
you regarding heavy railroad batteries.
WeBtlnghouBe Elec & Mfg CO
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GROFtMoy 27th, 1912.
Mr. Edison:- )
Will you please write a personal note to Mr. J. liewton
Gunn, General Manager oi’/the studc baker Corporation,
Detroit, Mich. , inviting/ Mr. Gunn down to the laboratory
to talk with you battery equipment. You might mention
that you understood from me that they were figuring on
getting out a new line' of electric commercial vehicles
and. will be ready in /three or four months.
I personally invited him down but I think it would bear
some weight if you/would drop him a note.
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REPORT TO MB. EDISON OH EXPLOSIO
STEAM YAOHI "OHRISTINA11
AT HEY/ LONDON. CONN.. JUNE 21.1912.
The "Christina” Is a new steam yacht 177 feet
lone owned by Mr. F. O* Fletcher of Boston, designed by Gxelow
and Orr of New York City, and built by Pusey and Jones of Wilmington,
Del. The lighting equipment consisting of an Edison storage Battery
of 100 type A-8 oells and a turbo -generator set, with switchboard,
rheostats, eto. was installed by name tt and Miller of Wilmington, Del.
On Friday Evening, June 21st about 7 sOO P.M. just
after the Yale vs Harvard boat-raoes a terrifio explosion in the
lazaret te , or the oompartment at the extreme stern demolished the declf, .
buhkled out the plates of the hull, and wrecked the state-room to the
front of the lazarette, instantly killing Mrs. J. N. Jarvie
Montclair, U* J. The accident is described in the attached clipping
and you are already familiar with the details.
I went to New bond on Saturday noon after the
explosion to investigate. Mr. Meeker of the smith-Meeker Engrg. Co.
had gone on a train earlier. On board the "Christina" when I arrived
were the owner. Mr. F. C. Fletcher, two government inspectors, a
representative of the Architect of the boat, the insurance adjuster,
the captain or the boat, the chief engineer and others.
After looking things over oerefully aboard the boat
X was absolutely oonvinoed that the explosion was due to the hydrogen
and oxygen gases given off by the batteries during charge, but was
unable to find anything to indicate how the gases had been ignited.
The explosion ooourred entirely outside of the batterieB in the lazarette
compartment and not a single cell was bulged or showed the least sign of
any trouble except injuries which were oaused by upsetting of the trays
from the concussion.
The oause of the accident was primarily bad design
of the boat not allowing proper ventilation for the battery, and secondar¬
ily neglect in not keeping open the small opennlng in the deck that was
provided for ventilation. The lazarette compartment iB practically
tight except for a hole about 18 inohes in diameter in the deck. A
grating is supposed to be kept in the opennmg for ventilation, but when
the deok is washed down a tight brass plate is clamped in instead of the
grating. On the day of the aooident this braBS plate been left in all
day while the battery was charging. na
The chief engineer of the yacht, Mr. wm. Corfield, i"
told me about the plate being in all day. He also said that the battery
had oome off charge at 4:00 P.M. and had been standing idle up to the
time of the explosion at about 7:00 P.M. This shows that the compartment ^
must have been very tight to retain the hydrogen Sas, in explosive mixture
as long as this. It Also eliminates the batteries and eleotrio oirouita
as a oause of igniting the gas, for evidently even if there ha*.b®®n ®
very bad contact somewhere in the wiring, this could have caused no trouble
w&ile no ourrentwas passing.
I am inclined to think that the battery gases were
ignited by a spark due to friototion at some point in the steering
gear which was in the compartment with the Batteries . There is nothing
else in the oompartment besides the batteries and s tearing-gear except
two small water tanks, a few carboys of water, and some spare coils of
rope and staple cable.
All persons aboard the "Christina" were aware
of the similar explosion in w. K. Vanderbilt- s *
few years ago. The battery was of the lead acid type, and X think
they understood that the same thing would have happened in the case
of the "Christina" regardless of what type of batteries they were using.
As I have said before the principle fault was in
the assign of the yacht .which did not povide proper ventilation. Even
the 18" hole, had it been impossible to close it, i should say would
have been inadequate ventilation, as the circulation weuld be poor
without a second opening at the bottom. The Yacht ®?°klteotSBhouia
be approached on thispoint, as Mr. Meeker tells me that the majority
of yachts have their batteries installed JuBt like tniB one.
W. E. Holland.
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ROIT. U.S. A.
Chicago, Sept. 5" 1912.-
3710 nacine i
Deat ^•}Jeadowcroft:'Herowith i send you a brief supplemental
letter to Me. Edison, which I trust will make matters more plain and
clear for him, and in line more with what you told me, Viz. "to have
what written him as brief, and clear as possible". -
This I have endeavored to do, and X will be more than obliged if
you will kindly let me know if you get this O.K.-
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROMOTIVE COMPANY
Chicago, Sept. 5" 1913.-
3710 Racine Ave.-
Mr. Thomas A. Edison,
Edison Laboratory,
W. Orange, N.J.-
Dear Mr. Edison
Supplemental to my letter of Aug. 17"
would like to state that if you can locate me at Detroit, and representing
anything of your Vintage (something like your Storage Battery preferred)
or Structures connected with it, such as Vehicles or Cars, I can surprise
you with what can quickly be accomplished. -
Such arrangement would place me where I could advantagously look after
my other interests located there in the International Electromotive Company.
The nature of this Companies business being mutually kindred, would add
materially to the Co-operative strength, and thus wonderfully enlarge the
scope and possibilities of the business. -
Should developeincnts not be advanced enough to make an arrangement
now, then a tentative understanding could be had that would prepare the
business for an early advantageous start. -
Hoping this may meet with your approval, I am
Yours Sincerely j
The Chicago Association of Commerce
Committee of Investigation on Smoke Abatement
and Electrification of Railway Terminals
OFFICE OF CHIEF ENOINEER
bark, ix. omcm Chicago September 13th, 191
Sirs- cT*
In the study of the feasibility of changing the motive power of the
Chicago Railway Terminals to Electricity or Other Power, we cannot overlook the use
of storage battery locomotives. As you have done so much in the development of the
storage battery, wa would be glad to know whether at the present time you have in
hand dr know of the design or development of any storage battery locomotive for use
under conditions at all comparable to those under which the steam locomotives in
any service here are operating. You are, no doubt, familiar with the general re¬
quirements of the several classes of service, yard, transfer, passenger and freight;
so it is not necessary to here give any details of the specific requirements.
You will remomber that we had some conversation about the adaptability of
the battery locomotive for switching service in the Chicago Railway Terminals, when
you were out here to attend the Byllesby banquet given in your honor, last January.
After you went away there was considerable talk in the papers of an arrangement made
with the Illinois Central for trying out a battery locomotive in suburban
but nothing ever came of it and indeed we never knew that foundation there was for
the newspaper reports.
Any information on this subject either as to what you may be doing or what
is being done elsewhere will be appreciated.
Yours very truly.
Thos. A. Edison,
Orange, H.J
Chief Engineer.
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Chicago. Chicago , Pept . ] 7" 1018 . -
3710 Racine Avenue. -
Dear Mr. Meadowcrof t : -
; pleased to receive your favot of Sept. 12"
with information it gives me, but very sorry to learn of the sickness
of your good Wife.-
My experiences in this direction have been such as to enable me to
fully appreciate your sorrow and truly feel that mutual interest and
sympathy" that makes us all Akin" , gladly waiting to be helpful when¬
ever the Privilege occurs. -
My wishes and hopes are that She will be quickly restored to good
health again and live a long time.- The most facinatingly beautiful
silent influence, appeals to us from Flowers, ever cumforting and encou¬
raging us while on our Pilgrimage through this life.-
I feel sure you must have Flowers in abundance where you are located
on park Street, Rome N.Y.and that Mrs. Meadowcroft is being materially
favored and benefitted by their Expressions. -
note for Mr. Edison, which kindly give him.-
Yours Sincerely,
I inclose a brief
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Orange, K. is
Dear Mr. Edison :
I Should like very
Mm „aoP„ - .. », —
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If information oono.r.i.g «. Cob,, edij^to^o U“ S“*
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(in Soi ». I. papers and slss.bsr.) and beg to add oongrat.la-
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lamp. With my best f
I remain
viishes for the world
yours sincerely
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[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
T AltMY AND NAVY JOURNAL.
FALSE ECONOMY
LETTER NO. 26. APRIL 13. 1912.
Last week I saw a remarkable performance
enacted— a performance which, if witnessed by
the American Public, would ensure the Naval
supremacy of the United States for all Time.
I refer to Target Practice of the Fleet.
No real man, with a drop of red blood in his
veins, and a particle of appreciation of true merit,
could deny the requests of such a Navy— requests
not for personal emolument of individuals, but for
the mere wherewithal to multiply and, if possible,
improve on present World-beating performance—
to have a fair show in the event of hostilities.
We read occasionally of the extreme accuracy
of American gunnery-of how it eclipses the per¬
formance of all other Powers; but to the average
American citizen, already puffed up with elated
ideas of American supremacy in general, it means
but little. He hasn’t the slightest conception of the
difficulties under which the results arc achieved.
Place that pompous individual on the quarter
deck of a towing ship, only 4°° >'arils from a
diminutive target Co feet long by 30 high, and
let him see the firing ship 15,000 yards-8j4 land
miles — away, plant the first range shot only twenty
yards short, ricochet through the target-a HIT
under Battle conditions, and he begin, to realize
what it all means. He has stood for twenty-three
seconds between the Hash and the splash, knowing
that an eight or a twelve inch shell is coming his
way at the rate of two thousand feet a second,
and that four hundred yard tow line has seemed to
grow shorter as the seconds pass. But when he
sees the result of the shot, he becomes so enthu¬
siastic and has such confidence that he would
willingly have the line shortened to one hundred
yards. Another range shot, followed by a salvo,
and the target has disappeared except for a mass,
of tangled wreckage!
Now let us analyze this performance in terms
which the average layman can understand and
appreciate.
A range of 15,000 yards from a target do ft. long
by 30 ft. high, is equivalent to 100 yards— rifle
range-on a target 4.8 inches long by 2.8 inches
high. That would be an easy shot for an expert
marksman oil land, but there is more to it.
The firing ship, under way, is pitching and
rolling. The target, by reason of the usual haze,
is barely perceptible, and is itself under way, rolling
and pitching.
The powder must be kept at a predetermined
temperature while stored in the magazine and until
it reaches the gun. The range finders arc not as
accurate as they might be at 15,000 yards. The
manipulation and firing of the gun depends upon
the co-ordinate action of several men.
Put the best marksman in the world into a launch,
send it ahead under proportionate speed through a
moderate sea, and let him shoot at a moving target
4.8 inches long by 2.8 inches high, bobbing up and
down, 100 yards away. I do not think he would
so it would ricochet through the target. I am
perfectly sure I would not “observe” from the stern
of the towing boat, eight feet from the target.
Then when you come to placing eight riflemen
in the launch and having them firing simultaneously
at a given signal— the “observers" on the towing
ship would cease to function, the coroner ofliciating
in that capacity later.
If there is any manufacturing concern in the
sound and equipment at its command, it is the
Edison Storage Battery Company. Yet there is
not a machine or process in these Works or in
the Works of the affiliated Edison Companies that
can compare in efficiency to Modern Ordnance.
There is not a body of skilled men that can hold
a candle to the performance of the United States
Navy Officers and Turret Crews, if working under
the adverse conditions that obtain abo~ &
As our business increases and the nc^osuy ifer
more men and machines arises, our Congress—
Thomas A. Edison— makes the appropriation and
we keep abreast of the Times. But when the U. S.
Army and Navy desire increased facilities and
Fnrotm activities and to be commensi
to meet — — . .
with our increasing National wealth, they
with a discouraging refusal.
The business manager who, through
and maintain a National Defense second to none.
Present performance is comparable to the athlete
who, in a 100 yard dash, runs like fury for 90 yards
and suddenly stops when in a fair way to win the
I firmly believe that, when brought to a full
realization of present conditions, the level-headed,
patriotic producers and business men of this Coun¬
try will voluntarily contribute to a separate National
Fund to increase and maintain our National
Defense, independent of appropriations and warring
factions.
By Mr. Edison’s direction, we have expended and
arc still expending considerable time and money in
experimental work for the Army and Navy. A
great deal of it lies outside of our commercial
activities. The duty which called me to target
practice, for instance, was far removed from any
financial returns from a commercial standpoint.
The technical knowledge and experimental facilities
of the Edison Laboratory have been at the disposal
of the Army and Navy for some time, without
We arc doing this simply a- ~ .. — .
ancc, because Mr. Edison argues that tl.„
in the world can be put out of business
well aimed twelve-inch shells. He the
lieves in keeping them at a distance by nkn uu«u™
for that work and provided with adequate facilities.
SINCE THE BEGINNING OP THIS SEBIES OP LETTERS,
WE HAVE RECEIVED HUNDREDS OP INQUIRIES AS TO
WHETHER OR NOT THEY WOULD BE BOUND POR DIS¬
TRIBUTION AT ANY TIME. WE HAVE THEREFORE DE¬
CIDED TO BIND REPRINTS OP THE FIRST TWENTY-
SIX LETTERS AND WILL DISTRIBUTE THEM TO EVERY
.... of insur-
the best plant
i by a few
therefore bc-
trained
deliberately defers installing much needed machines
and other facilities rendered necessary by increas¬
ing demand for the product, would find it impos¬
sible to procure, at a moment’s notice, such
facilities and machines, and would meet with esteem it a oeeat eavok i
severe censure from the Board of Directors for khowledomeht by postae
the loss of sales through cancelled orders from
inadequate production.
The political party or parties that strive to show
an artificial economy by neglecting to safeguard
our National wealth and prestige will be severely
censured by an indignant public, if occasion Joes
arise for defending onr homes and institutions, and
the facilities arc found inadequate.
property, just so long will Nations go forth to war.
Such being the case, it docs sccin criminal to expect
a bantam rooster to be matched against a game
cock, even if the bantam can plant his spurs more
accurately. Superior weight will, in time, over¬
power him. We have not reached the bantam class
yet, but if material change in present procedure is
not enacted, we will be back to the unhatched egg
iat a Nation that cr J ',““'
To be continued next week.
Notice. — This is one continued story of 52 111-
staUments which began in the Issue of Oct. 21,
:gi t, of the Army anii Navy Journal. To avoid
repetition, I often refer to cuts previously shown.
It is therefore desirable that each Issue of the
Army and Navy Journal be fded for reference.
Respectfully,
MILLER REESE HUTCHISON,
Chief Engineer and Personal Representative of
Thomas A. Edison.
EDISON STORAGE BATTERY COMPANY,
149 LAKESIDE AVENUE,
ORANGE, N.J.
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November 9th, 1912.
Confidential. iJS W~> - » “ £T1
cZ.^- rfsr |S “‘““T^A
Xhonaa A. *>!.=». W
- ■ >r atopies, - ' f
Dear Ur. Edii
Edison Laboratories,
Orange, N, J. "
J C&E**'*
JUbjtdL
'# iT'
Remembering fijir conversation i
when I was over to see you some months ago, Sat¬
iating to storage batteries, I beg to say I "pV-i.
have a party with One Million Dollars REAL
MONEY, who I know will consider favorably any
proposition 1 may submit looking to^Lts ^pvest-^
ivest- , fi
. “ —jr r.;<5,- .*-*
5^ j
1IJUJ. not put him into Edison
Storage Batteries?
IftHla suggestion ?Btrikes you
favorably, advise me promptly and I will go ^
over to the Laboratory toy talk. the matter over ,«
with you. ^ - y '
In-^the meantime, please consider
the subject strictly personal and confidjo^la^.^
Very Wuly^ yours,,' j
ty ^
S-1I.
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kr. Thomas a. Edison, ,,
urange , N . J .
Dear Sir:-
t'4
-az-ku>d
I am writing to you with the knowledge that you
probably receive hundreds of communications asking idl, — '
but am. going to ask information on a point which 1
is of great importance, and which you alone
Mr. George Slaymaker, an engineer for the Detroit
Edison Oo., told me that in a conversation with yousMrt*^
year or so ago, you made the statement to the effg«^that
you were bringing out a light Weight storage cel^much
lighter than your present hickel-iron couple.
If this be so, we can use them in quantites. Last
year 1 did some experimenting with the electric motor cycle
but it proved impractical even with the Edison alkali battery
because the watt hour outmit per pound was too low. If however
there is a practical cell which will give say twice the output
per unit of weight, we would take un this matter again and
are confident that the electric motor cycle would prove a
tremendous success.
realize that this cell is not on the market or
1 shouldTabout it. What I would like to to know is, when
will it be put on the market, what are its operating characteristics
could i obtain a sample for testing, and what will be about
the market prices?
Could 1 trouble you to answer this in a brief s
or two through your secretary?
Thanking you sincerely, I remain yours truly.
vf. yJ 1
1
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SMOKE ABATEMENT IN ST. LOUIS
ROOMS OF THE WEDNESDAY CLUB
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I
COPY_
Referring to your inquiry of the 8th instant,
we hag to inform yon that we are able to carry out the re¬
quired examination of yonr new accumulator in our Testing
Department. This examination would concern the following points
1. Voltage variation during charge anfl discharge
2. The capacity of the accumulator
a- On high rate discharge
c- On low rate discharge
3. Ampere-hour and watt-hour efficienoy
4. The action of the electrolyte
5. The internal resistance
6. life of the accumulator
The examination of the five first points
would need about eight days' time, as the cells have to be
charged and discharged several timeB. The life could not
he determined bo quickly. A hastened life test, suoh as you
propose, might give some enlightening points, hut could not
be regarded as a thorough and sufficient examination. We
think the best way: to determine the life would be by use
in notusl service. For the examination itself, in oaBe
you would like to get n reliable average value, we would
suggest you send us several cells, at least three.
The costs would he os follows:
For point 1 & 2, including the necessary formation treatment
of the cells, about 30 Marks
" " 3 " " " 10 "
n n 4 ' " ” " 5 "
" " 6 " " « " 5 "
Awaiting the favor of your reply, we are
YourB truly.
Edison General File Series
1912. Battery, Storage - Country House Lighting (E-12-10)
This folder contains correspondence and other documents relating to
the storage battery as a power source in Edison's "Country House Lighting
System"— a plan to illuminate rural homes located beyond gas and electric
mains. Among the documents for 1912 are correspondence with potential
agents, including items bearing Edison marginalia, and an undated
handwritten list by Edison concerning the establishment of agencies. Also
included are letters pertaining to proposed installations, pricing strategies, and
commercial promotion, along with an undated schematic drawing of the
controller, reversing switch, wiring, and other elements of the system. The
correspondents include William G. Bee, Jerry T. Chesler, and other
employees of the Edison Storage Battery Co.; Edison's personal
representative and chief engineer Miller Reese Hutchison; and longtime
Edison associate Robert T. Lozier.
Approximately 80 percent of the documents have been selected. The
unselected material consists primarily of letters of inquiry concerning
agencies.
February 7, 1912.
Mr . BdiBon,-
I am sending you herewith, manuacrlpt ofl
booklet on houselighting.
Head this over, and if it suits you, kindly
initial it and return to me, so that when I get back
from West Point Friday morning, I can get busy on the
rest of the booklet.
K. R, H.
February 15, 1912.
Mr. Sdison,-
Herewith. bulletin for bouse lighting.
You will notice I have wade no mention whatever of
price, nor have I cited a plant of any definite size. My
reason for this is:
No man is going to sit down and order an electric
light plant right off the bat, without exchanging two or
three letters. What a salesman wants to do first, is to
enthuse the customer. He wants to lead him, step by step,
until he gets him so thoroughly enthused with Hie idea that
he just must have an electric plant, that the matter of
price cuts very little figure. When prices are included
in Oatalogues of this nature, the female side of the house,
whose enthusiasm is seldom in proportion to the initial en¬
thusiasm of the male, usually puts her foot down on the
expenditure of such a relatively large amount of money for
"newfangled things". But when "father" has fortified him¬
self with two or three letters, in addition to the original
catalogue, he can easily become a sales representative of
our Company in that, through sheer bull-headednesB and
pride, he feels called upon to convert the "old lady" to
his way of thinking.
It seems to me we should select a competent
electrician in each locality, to whom we can turn over these
jobs of figuring out the location of lights, and installing
the wiring. A- farmer cannot string wires that will pass
insurance inspection, and if he calls on an electrician
who has been subsidized by the lead battery people, we
may load the sale. It seems like a lot of trouble to go
to, to sell a few batteries in each place, but as we have
to play with white (Ships while the blue ones are develop¬
ing, Anything worth doing at all is worth doing well.
I think that when we get an inquiry from any
locality, we ought to sit right down and write to the
electrician that is rated the highest, and make him a
proposition that we will recommend him for the job, if
he will look out for our interests.
Of course, where we have people who are finan¬
cially interested in the proposition, as those people who
have called here who seem to be willing to take it up.,
they can root for us and select the electrician. I think,
however, the matter will resolve itself into our conduct¬
ing the business from the Factory, in the majority of
cases .
Hutch.
E. C. HOWLETT,
BROKER,
GRAIN AND FEED
■ CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Mr. Thomas A. Edison,
Orange, N. J.
Dear Sir, -
LOCAL AND LONO DISTANCE
Some time ago,- we had some correspondence with
you about my taking hold of your Storage Battery for lighting,
etc. I got a very nice letter from you and it looked as though
there was going to he some chance for business, hut I waited very
patiently to hear something further from you and got nothing until
I wrote you again and got a reply that you were fitting up a house
that would he a good chance to inspect the workings of, etc.
Since that time, I have written you several
letters and marked them personal, but I invariably get replies
from somebody else, evading the question in point. I am rather
anxious to do something with the matter, if there is any chance to
do it and I would like very much to hear from you.
Since I wrote you last, I have been out to the
old Farm at Berlin Heights where my old sister was quite ill and I
am more anxious now than ever to buy the old place.
irg deal so
indeed to c
are ready t
I sincerely hope that we can arrange this light-
that it will make some money. I should like very much
jme and see you and I will do so any time you say you
o see me. I would be glad to have you either write or
wire me and I will come
ECH/FAH
i short notice.
Very truly yours,
2-%.
^
AT'*
L
'M,
TKHT OH LIOHTIHB SYSTEM
March 2 5th, 1912
y-
t BTQRAGK BATTKKy 00.
noirss
Started charging the battery at 6 A.H. and charged
until 1 o’clock P.H. Then immediately after charge I started
a discharge on the battery of 44, 30 volt Mazda lamps, and taking
voltage readings of both oharge and discharge every half hour.
The gasoline tank holds 3-1/2 gallons; at the end
of the seven hours charging there was 1 quart left, having used
3 gallons and 1 quart; 6 gallons of water, of which 4-l/2 gallons
were used after 5 hours of charging, so 1-1/2 gallons more were
put in, making a total of 6 gallons. The cylinder oil cup was
emptied at the end of the 4-1/2 hours of charging and was refilled,
and used one-half of this at the end of. seven hourB. The connect¬
ing rod oil cup was only filled once for the seven hours.
The voltage of battery before starting the charging
was 21, and as soon as the ourrent of 30 ampereB was on the battery,
the voltage rose to 47. At the end of 7 hours the voltagg with
30 amperes charge was 52 with charging current on.
The following is the voltage readings of every l/2
hour, with 44 lamps burning — The voltage before putting on the
load was 42.
1.00 P. M.
Battery voltage 28
4 Points of resistance in on regulator.
1.30 P. K.
Battery voltage 29
1 Point of resistance in on regulator
2.00 P. H.
Battery voltage 27
1 Point of resistance in on regulator
2.30 ?. IJ.
Battery voltage 29
Regulator arm on last point of resistance
3.00 P. H.
Battery Voltage 27
Kegulator resistance all out
3.30 P. K.
Battery voltage 25-1/2
/
4.00 P. H.
Battery voltage 23-1/2
4.10 P. M.
The voltmeter 1h not steady anil the lamps flicker up
and down.
4.30 P, I-'.
Battery voltage 21
5.00 P. H.
Battery voltage 20
5.30 P. I!.
Battery voltage 19
6.00 P. K.
Battery voltage 13
The voltmeter leads are o\it In the line after
the regulator and there is some drop in the wiring, hut after
2 hours of discharge, the actual voltage directly across the
battery is 28, and at the end of 5 hours discharge, the actilal
voltage across the battery was 14 volts.
It may be that after such a complete charge and
discharge for 3 days the battery will show bettor results.
C.A. Poyer
I am going to duplicate same test for 3 days
linroh 26th,
191"
TS'.'g PIT LIQH7IKQ SYSTKTa
in kpimoh 2?ora ok 3»gg'rf:-nr co. hoitkk
This Is the seoona tout on the system, in seven hours
of charging, the engine used 3 gallons of gasoline, 6-1/E gallons
of V7ater, and 1/?. pint of oylinder oil. She voltage at tho be-
ginning of charging was 42 with oharging current on Mid 36 volts
without charging current on. At tho end of 7 hours of oharging
at tho rate of 30 amperes, tho voltRge of battery with oharging
current on was 49-1/2. While charging tho battery after S-l/2
hours of running, tho engine suddenly slowed up until tho oircuit
breaker threw out, and then the engine started up again and 1 put
in the oircuit breaker. *ho only way I oan acoount for it, is
that a little plooe of sand or something like that got in the
gasoline and stopped tho carburetor, so that tho gasoline did
not spray properly in the needle valve.
She following is the discharge, rending every half
hour, burning 44, 30 volt Kasde. lamps — She voltmeter readings
aro across tho lamp/ oirouit.
1.00 P. U.
Voltage of 3nttery 27
Amperes taken by 44 lamps - 27
Regulator resistance 4 points in
1.30 P. K.
Volts 28-1/2
Amperes 28
Regulator resistance 2 pointB in
2.00 P. IS.
Volts 30
Ampores 29
Regulator resistance 1 point in
2.30 P. !-*•
Volts 30-1/2
Amperes 29-1/4
Regulator resistance on last point
0.00 P. K.
Volts 30
Amperes 29
Regulator resistance nil out
She voltage direotly across tho battery oftor 2 hours
discharge is 31 volts oomjered with 28 volts for yesterday.
(2)
3.30 P. !•:.
Volts 28
Amperes 38
4.00 P. K.
Volte 37
Amperes 27-1/2
A alight flicker was noticed In the lamps , hat did
not Inst long.
4.30 P. K.
Volta 30
Amperes 36
5.00 P. K.
VoltB 23
Amperes 29-1/2
5.30 P. .1-1.
Volta 21
Amperes 23-1/2
6.oo p. a.
Volte 20-1/2
Amperes 23
(The actual voltage directly serose battnry with dJ
charge load Is 22-1/2 compered with 14 for yesterday's tost,
pie Battery voltage la hotter than yesterday and I am going
to make same teat to-morrow again, and expect bettor results
than this.
C. A. Poyer,
HSPOR? on gouii?:.Y aouss ughtihg phopositioh
gQH IE. HIHrtlDQIB AS ISTPCK5B. It. J.
The buildings to be lighted by eleotrioity con¬
sist of hen houses, brooder houses, inouhator ana dwelling.
The complete distribution will consist of 100
40-watt tungsten lamps, ana 1-1/S horse power in motors.
The average lamp Had at any one time will not exceed 60
lights while the motors will only he operated durine the aay
when the generator is running, ana, therefore, oan ho tahen
directly off the dynamo. The lighting will avorage about
three hours daily.
i>ho longest run from the hattories win he to
the incubators, a distance of 450 feet. Thia - eert
15 lamps with on average of two or three being lighted at
one time.
From the same engine which is to drive the dynamo,
a machine and carpenter shop is to be driven. -his atop wi-i
renuire about 7-l/f- horse power. The power will he tnhon
direct from engine and, therefore, will not interfere with our
apparatus .
Hr. Dinwiddle is at present u Bing the Public
Service for light and power, and naturally wants to mow what
the saving wU:L he in generating hio own ourr ent . He va ..j.
probably iooh^Tigures on that.
iIGHTIIFC PK0P03ITI0II
REPORT OK COUHTKY HOUSE L
for m. kccahpbei,!. at bed bahk. h. 3.
The buildings to Tie lighted by electricity con¬
sist of stnbleB, garage, servants 1 cottage, etc., also owner's
residence and grounds.
The power will he furnished hy a Fits Overshot
wheel driven hy n 6 foot water fall. The approximate power
which will he developed hy the wheel is about 7 horse power.
This will vary, howev.-r , with the quantity of water-flow.
More exact figures will ho coming from the Fits people show¬
ing the minimum and maximum power developed hy the wheel.
The total lighting equipment will consist of about
185 - 80-watt lamps, and also 3/4 horse power motor in black¬
smith shop, one curry comb vacuum cleaner, one house vacuum
cleaner, 18 electric fans, and a charging station for an eloo-
trlc runabout, A wide margin should he allowed on the light¬
ing equipment, say for fifty lamps or more.
I would suggest that two battery and regulator
outfits he furnished, one to take in all of the servants'
quarters, stables, garage, etc., and another for the house
and grounds. The proportion of lights and power, etc. is as
follows:
In the dwelling or "lodge" there will he about
130 - 80-watt harps
1 Vacuum Cleaner
18 - 16" Eledtrio Fans
In the other buildings, including servants’ cottage, etc.
will he about
55 — 80-watt lampB
1 Vacuum Cleaner for curry comb
3/4 Horde power motors for blacksmith shop
1 Charging Staid on for Electric liunahont
The run from the dynamo to battery stations
will be about 600 feet. In additi on to water wheel would
suggest a small generator and gasoline engine be sot in one
of the buildings to be used for emergency or to help out
the load on wator wheel.
Hr. KcCnmpbel! wants an elaborate outfit with a
central control for the entire equipment to be located in
the dwelling. I would suggest that two propositions he mode
to him. One ns cheap ns it can he done without sacrificing
efficiency and capacity, and the other Including Instruments
(2)
with marble nwitchboar ds , etc.
The aver ago number of lamps in nee at one time will
he from 00 to 100 - with an average run of four hours.
I believe Kr. !'o Campbell is a good propoBiti on
end means business. He wants everything of the host and he
told me when his buildings, etc. are completed the whole place
will bo written up in Country life in America.
Would also suggest that some pleasure vehicle
concern who puts the KdiBon battery to the front be put on lir.
Campbell’s trail so that he does not get stuck on « lead battery
XaM.
Messrs. Brohvnj Eckert : BerggrSn; Bliss; Langley; I>ur«fnd:
Stevens; Bee; Bachman; lludd; Hudson; Leeming;
Youmans; V/e'ber ;
List prices ana discounts shown on attached
sheets have Been decided upon for Edison A. 0. Rectifiers and
House Lighting Controllers.
Orders for this apparatus must contain in
detail the full specifications as shown on attached sheets,
and only such outfits as are specified should he ordered.
V/here special apparatus or changes in the
apparatus listed is desired, the matter must first he taken
up with and approved hy the Engineering Dept., who will decide
whether or not we can make it, and what the increased price,
if any, shall he for same.
5/9/18.
Copies to Messrs. Edison; Dyer.
1*
C.H.iT.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
BRICE Lisa? AMD SPECIFICATIONS OF
ED ISOM A.C. RECTIFIER.
PRIMARY
OB
A. C. VOLTS
CHARGING
OR
D. C. VOLTS
B-2 110-12B
B-2 110-126
B-2 110-126
B-4 110-126
B-4 110-126
B-4 110-126
60 2-10
40 2-10
26 2-10
60 2-10
40 '2-10
26 2-10
0-10 $65. 00
0-10 65.00
0-10 72. 00
O-EO 80. 00
0-20 80. 00
0-20 90.00
Rheostat for oontr oiling charging current — $ 4/50
Ammeter for indicating charging current — 12.00
Controlling switchboard with rheostat ^ oQ
UOiEj _ Add 1 Of. net extra for 220 volt A. C. primary winding.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
SIZE
A-l
A-2
A-3
B-l
B-2
B-3
B-4
A-l
A-2
A- 3
B-l
B-2
B-4
■PRTCE LIST AMP SBECIFICATIOHS OF
AUTOMATIC HOUSE LIGUTIHS CONTROLLERS.
22-1/2
22-1/2
VOLTS LIST BRICES
30 $ 75.00
30 85.00
30 90.00
30 95,00
60 106.00
60 120.00
60 155.00
110 85.00
110 95.00
HO 105.00
110 125,00
HO 145.00
110 170.00
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
discount sheet foh
AUTOMATIC HOUSE LIGHTING COST BOLTERS AND '
BDISOH A. 0. RECT IFIERS i
KaiBon A . C . Reotlfleis.
Owners of oars ana individual users
-list .
garages
-10# off list.
Dealers - - ordering not less than
three rectifiers on initial order - 16# off list.
Jobbers - - - -ordering not less than
fifty reotlf lers on initial order - 20# 8> 5# off list ,
Automatic HouBe lighting Controllers
Jobbers dlBoount-
25# off list.
May 9th, 1912.
Messrs. BliSfL' Langl&y, ^Wilson, Sterns, Bee, Hudson, Learning,
Youmans ana .
RB EKIOK JiXB'J nMAlIfl HoUHK LlGHCllifi Olifa.oLLT.iui
UnleBB otherwise instructed hy the Sales department,
all complete house lighting controller outfits will be arranged
with the oharging switoh ana automatic cut-out on a small slate
panel separate from the controller. Che reason for this is
that the controller and battery is usually installed in a house
to bo lighted, while the engine, dynamo and panel will he located
together in another building. If for any reason the customer
desires to mount the charging switoh and automatic cut-out on the
controller, an extra charge will bo made according to the amount
of work required .
ei]1e price list does not include anything but the
automatic controller and the separate panel containing the o^rgang
switch and automatic out-out. Any additional switchboaid., oi panels,
iron frames or special supports, will havo to be figured as an
additional item for each case when required.
Rote that the price list applien only to outfits in
which the total service in amperes is not greater than the
rated capacity of tho battery in any given oaae. For example,
if it is intended to supply a 3u-ampere battery and also arranged
to have a dynamo furnishing part of the lighting current, say
an additional 30 amperes, this meanB a controller of not xobb
than 60 amperes must be figured on.
Also note that in cases where tho grouping of the
batterv is to bo changed in service, for instance, change ln
parallel or discharge in series and vice-versa, a special switch
and wiring is required, which will be an extra charge.
V/e BUggest, therefore, that in quoting prices for
house lighting controllers, that the specific requirements of oach
customer bo carefully noted by the salesmen xi any departure
the standard outfit is desirable and that these requirements be
submitted to our Engineering department for price' “ttimato »-na fur
instructions concerning the proper ordoringVf the appliano s,
Re Ibo n^fj^JJur a nd .
MEADOW CROPt.
ftl*.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
ROBERT T. LOZ1E
'4I NBew°yAo°kAAu”U£ t 1,1912
Hr. Thomas A. Edison,
Orange, Mew Jersey.
My dear Mr. Edison
I "peg to hand you the accompanying letter from my
■brother-in-law , Mr. R . H. Payne.
While this letter explains itself, I would like to
add that Mr. Payne is a practical, thorough-going fellow, who
has had a considerable experience in both the mechanical and
electrical ends of the business, and is familiar with the isola¬
ted plant field.
He lias shown unquestioned ability as a salesman and
organizer, and handler of men; he is strictly honest, loyal
and a hard worker.
I would greatly appreciate it if you will give his
application the consideration that the circumstances warrant.
Thanking you in advance ,
Yours ilai thf ul ly ,
f xAxjdnuXvx** *
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
Jefferson Arms ,
34 Jefferson Avenue ,
Brooklyn, July 30th, 1912.
Mr. Robert T. Lozier,
141 Broadway,
H. Y. City.
My dear Robert:
I 'have followed with a great deal of interest the
several articles on the Edison storage battery, and am very
desirous of becoming connected with that company's sales or¬
ganization.
As General Superintendent of the Payne Engine Com¬
pany of Elmira, I had direct charge of building and install¬
ing their apparatus. As President of the Payne Engineering
Company, I directed the entire sale of their output.
For the past five years I have been in the service
of the Allis-Chalmers Co. selling their product, such as
steam and gas engines, electric generators and motors, and
am thoroughly familiar with the isolated plant field.
While I understand that the Edison Company's plan
is to distribute its product through independent agents who
operate on a commission basis, it occurs to me that I may be
useful to them as an agency establishes or in charge of age:
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
2
cies, either directly or under the supervision of that official
of the Edison Company under whose jurisdiction that matter now
comes. If you can put me in touch with the proper one,
I would greatly appreciate it.
Yours very
August 10,19ir.
Hr. s.il. Payne,
Jefferson Arms,
34 Jefferson Ave. ,
3rooWlyn.lT.Y.
Dear S±r:-
Our frftdnd Robert T.LoEier forwarded to me your letter
to bln of the 30th ult.,to he brought to Mr .Edison's attention.
I h%ve shown it to him and he suggests that yon come
over and see hira. 3Ie is finally bare every day, and all day .but the
morning hours v/ill in my judgment be best for an .interview.
I would suggest that yon telephone me in advance of
your coming.
Yours very truly.
Septeinbe r 19th, 1912.
Messrs. Hutchison. Langley, Bee, Youmans, Looming,
ana File:-
Owing to. delays in the Shop
in the production of tools for making House Light¬
ing Controllers, we are unable to accept orders for
the device, except for indefinite future delivery.
All requirements for Control¬
lers should be taken up with Mr. Hutchison,
Chief Engineer, who will advise- when deliveries
can be made in future.
Helso4/c. Bur and.
I
Copies to Messrs. Edison, Dyer, Wilson.
Uov. 21st, 1912.
Mr. Meadoweroft:-
Re plying to the 1‘etter addressed to you by
IirP W. W. Case, I am sending this to Mr. M. R.
Hutchison who is handling the house lighting bus ineBB,
This hasn’t been turned over to the writer as yet
although I understand it is going to be very shortly.
TCBjGPW.
f.OucA' J\^omX3 uJ-^~ J
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[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
PRE1IMIHARY LIST
HOME LIGHT INS AGENCY
Maine
Vermont
West Massachusetts
Bast Connecticut & Rhoae island
West Connecticut
Hew Hampshire
East long Island
West long Island
Hew York - EaBt Side of Hudson to Albany
Hew York - East Side of Hudson - Albany to Canada line
Hew York - West side of Hudson from H.Y. City to Albany & west to
Central Hew York
Western Hew York
Horth Hew JerBey
South Hew Jersey
Eastern Pennsylvania
Middle Pennsylvania
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
(2)
Western Pennsylvania
Maryland & Delaware
Virginia * — ?
north Carolina *
Georgia
Florida
Kentuoky & Tennessee
Mississippi & Louisiana
East Texas
West Texas
Oklahoma )
Arkansas )
Utah
Kansas
Missouri
Illinois
Wisconsin & northern Michigan
Hebraska
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
(3)
north Ohio
South Ohio
Indiana
Southern Miohigan
Minnesota
north Dakota
South Dakota
Iowa
Colorado & Wyoming
Idaho
Montana
Oregon
Washington
Vancouver
Winipeg Begion, Canada
Canada - West
Canada - East
Arizona & new Mexioo
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
(4)
Southern California
Northern California
Edison General File Series
1912. Battery, Storage - Delivery Wagons - General (E-12-11)
This folder contains correspondence and other documents re|ating to
the commercial and technical development of Edison s alkaline storage
batterv and its use in lightweight electric delivery wagons. Included are
communications exchanged between Edison and his employees atong wrth
correspondence with truck manufacturers and business establishments with
delivery services. Also included are items pertaining to endurance tests. The
correspondents include Jerry T. Chester of the Edison Storage Battery Co.,
R Ha?rv Crominger of the Speedwell Motor Car Co., Edison's personal
representative and chief engineer Milter Reese Hutchison, and Arthur
Williams of the New York Edison Co.
Aonroximately 70 percent of the documents have been selected. In
additionPPto dupSe material, the unselected items include promotional
material from the electric truck division of the General Motors Co.
•ApraHam-
§traUs •
BOROUGH OF BROOKLYN,
My Dear Mr. Bee I- ,
This I belleve(
you and for thla time of the year4!
opinion wonderful. Oar #510 knowi^apCfaur Hew
Jersey Oar due to her ooverlng ripttie In Wow Jersey
left the store a* 9 A^.L^ 330 Were hours,
having reoelved the nigjrt previous ®ohprge of
six hours and oovered the following roptet
To our storehouse in {.tats Street,
then aoross the Manhattan Bridge to Perry foot of
Dessbrosses Street, to Weehawken to Union Hill,
West Hew Ttrki Guttenberg, Woodollffe, Hudson
Heights, Ollff Side, Grant Wood, Edgewater, Port
Lee, then to Palisades, returning through the
above towns to West Hoboken, Jersey Olty Heights,
Bayonne and back to store arriving hero at 5 P.M.
having severed Porty-two miles carrying about
BOROUGH OF BROOKLYN,
NEW YORK CITY, get* 1918. -
1000 poundB. The oar again left the store at
7 P. M. carrying speoials here in olty to
Bushwlok Av. to Howard Av. return to Herkimer St.
to Sterling Plaoe to Washington Av. baok to store,
oar had then oovered about Fifty-seven miles.
The oar was then run around store until
oar had oovered Slxty-one miles. The Ampere
hour meter read 69 Amp. Hrs. showing he consumed
S01 Amp. Hrs. or 4.B Ampere per mile. I had an
pffer that anyone of the Chauffeurs that would
make Sixty miles during this oold weather I would
buy him the finest dinner in Brooklyn and thla
fellow has won. Be oould have made about Plve
miles more but he only wanted to show the Sixty.
Very trul^yours,
/
P; ■ ^ V
. €»,
San 1'rancisco, CaJ^, Eeb.
DAYTo/
i,r. Harry Hiller,
Care i’hos. A. Edi
Veaz Oxj
Dear Ur. Miller:--
. * 4, ,
0 c.f' >'t J>.LC
I have been expecting to hear through our mfltual , A/
freind, Mr. 1'heron I. Crane, what progress Mr.^E^i-spn ^ s^Y-iiy
is making on the little delivery wagon. fag} \ ^
I have made several visits to V'est Orange with'O* ( ,
ivir • Crane and have several talks with Hr. Edison on the vf«.' A *• nfi
subject and upon my last visit there along about the midVSre sjs Jc
of December, Hr. Edison informed me that he thought that Vv V 4 1 ^
number three wagon would be ready about March 1st, and I O' ^ . /** r“
am anxious to know what progress has been made and how soon ^ hJB\ ■<>< S
Hr. Edison will be ready to take this matter up again. ^
Hy several trips to ’.Vest Orange with Hr. Crane, ’ *1 AJ \p
was with a view of taxing the several units as would be \ \Lo ^
manufactured by you and assemble the cars in large quantities,^ .
Hr • Edison even going so far as to state that he would let
• -• • • - - -->-•> I have the^X, -
nifacturing /\* f *
Company all formed in Dayton , Ohio, for the n
of these vehicles as explained in person to nr. Jsuwon tu
I am ready at any time to begin operations.
I thoroughly respect and appreciate ~r. Edison
wishes in all the details and am prepared to carry them out
to the letter, and iftherefore, you can give roe any mnormat.
before I make my next trip to 7/eat Orange, I will greatly
appreciate it. I have been on the Coast here for about
two months and expect to be back in Dayton about the 12th
of March where a letter will reach me.
V/ith personal regards X beg to remain.
RHC-h
(h
20th ISaroh 1912
Ju* (*zz f
.^..v
'jittrf!WM4W £‘4f”
£S&
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fl
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March 22, 1912.
Mr. G. A. Wells,
Chief Engineer, Adams Express Co.,
53 Broadway, IT. Y. City.
Dear Mr. Wells:
I have your letter of March 21st regarding the shortage of
wages slip which wan paid hore, $2.60, heg to say I am forwarding your
letter to our Mr. Miller who has this slip and requested that he for¬
ward same to you.
1 had an interview with Mr. Case the other day and he promised
he would see you personally regarding the test wagon and inform you
Just what day it would he put hack in service, which I hope has been taken
care of by this time. Should you not have come in contact with Mr. case
up to this time and should ho forget to inform yon of same, J would appre¬
ciate if you would let me know, as Mr. Edison is very anxious to have thiB
test go on, in as much as he has promised Mr. Barrett that he would give
him a full report on same, and he rofuseo to give a report until he is
perfectly satisfied with the test.
Do not hesitate to address me at any time on any subject, as I
am only too glad to hear from you. Believe me to he.
Yours very respectfully,
EDISON STORAGE BATTERY COMPANY,
RAB/EEB
General Manager.
Copy to Mr. H.F. Miller.
My deqr Mr. Millers
Upon ray return to the office I find your
favor of March 7th for which I thank you.
I wish you would oonvey to Mr. Edison
my sincere interest in the little delivory wagon and say to
him that wo are ready to huild these in large quantities as
soon as he is a ole to turn thorn over to us, that 1 have
the company all formed with unlimited resources and will he
associated with two men who are experienced in the motor oar
business and I know that wo can and will sustain the good
name of Mr. Edison in building and marketing thiB little
delivery wagon and are extremely anxious to begin operations.
Pur mutual friend Mr. Theron 3. Crane can
vouch for me and my ability to to handle problems of this
kind and I trust you will keep me posted constantly as to
just what progress is being made and if possible learn from
Mr. Edison when I may reasonably expect to be able to secure
this equipment.
V/ith personal regards, beg to remain
RHC:G
DAYTOX, OHIO
A
Hr. Harry Miller,
o/o Thos. Edison,
Wost Orange, IT. J.
Dear Hr. Miller:
I am leaving tonight for California
he gone indefinitely and the objoot of thin letter ia
to have yon aay to Mr. Edison, aa I told yon before,
am already with my company and plant here in Dayton
properly take hold of the Edison wagon and put it or
market according to Mr. Edison's wishes.
.,p>s
(
The organisation 1 formed is composed of
competent experienced men and we feel oertain we will have
no difficulty in immediately manufacturing and disposing
of all of the wagons for which you could furnish us the
oquipmnnt. It is not my desire to annoy you in this matter
but, as I told you personally, we are looking forward to
taking hold of this proposition and while it is true I am
Going to the Coast in the interest of this Company on some
very large problems .yet they understand that I am to re¬
turn East on one week's notice as soon as I hear from the
Edison Company.
7/e are thoroughly satisfied to accept the
wagon .just as Mr. Edison delivers it to us and have our
plans all made for the speedy production of the same. In
one talk with Mr. Edison lie told me when he was ready he
would ship a complete wagon to me for to use as a master
model, which, of course, will be appreciated. I am going
to ask you, thorofore, to keep mo posted as frequently as
convenient as to just what progress you are making on
numbor three and it will materially holp mo if you could
iutS cate in your letters about when I may expect to have
the wagon and start thB manufacturing.
My permanent addrews on the Coast will be
o/o Speedwell Motor Car Co. of Calif. > 428 Vail Hess ivo.,
San FraneiBCO and if for any reason I should be away my
mail will lie immediately forwarded. I would like very ranch
Ml*. IJillor to have you have a talk with Mr. Edison m soon
as he returns from the South and convey to mo if possible
about whon you think you will ho ready.
With personal regards , beg to remain
11110:0
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ijetJi Apr, 19,1932
J *
&thfa.6it//:dtss' TC/L
^Jvf.f,,’,1 ’■'1 f" rece*pt of i‘'ur Itind letter of the 16th
2- £2 1 r 7 ttl endewt tp create a light electric
tio«Vfhyn^rn, tVl': t ?13 P"pve mp t-c economical in opera,
cirn than. th«? horse-drawn vehicle. *
E sincerely hope that your efforts in this di-
reoittion. will meet with the same, success that has attended
you- im the creation, of the many wonderful devices that bear
you'r nper and r am glad that my little talk with Hr, mi-
ha*T been of help to you.
T1’""" is, I am sure, an unlimited market for
th» vehicle your =re engaged on and I know that when per¬
fected. it ’.•dll bring you material gains- to amply com-'
pensate for your Tabors.
As soon as you have it in such shape as to war¬
rant inspection, I shall he very glad to examine into it.
Wishing you all success, I am,
Very trul.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
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Mr. II. F. mile
Orange ,
N. .T.
Bear Sir:-
Beg to acknowledge yours of the 15th.
I have just returned from a hurried tripin New
York and ray next visit there is at present uncertain.
My purpose in seeking an interview with Mr.
Edison wu3 to discuss with him as outlined in my letter
the subject of storage battery as applied to motor truck:
and when I next visit New York will act on
and firot call you up to ascertain if it would De conven.
for this interview.
ispectfully,
W. .It. Mclntyrts/ Co .
&. ^ (h-~ - . ^7/
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cua^uZit ^r^Kfife.
(L&UiA-. /^L^/2A
May 10th, 1912
WATTS PER TON MILE TEST PIT "MOTORETTE"
WITH 16 AMD 24 A-4 CELLS RESPECTIVELY
Motorette equipped with Rosmassler & Bonnine
Eleotrio baok geared motor, and carrying two passengers.
Average amperes — 63.26
Average volts — 17.7
Total Watts — 942.626
Miles per hour — 8.67
Total weight — 1300 Ihs
Watts per ton mile - 167.24
TEST #1 — 16 Cells
Average Amperes — 66.9
Average volts — 26.48
Total watts — 1480.222
Miles per hour — 13.21
Total weight — 1436 Ihs.
Watts per ton mile - 166.17
TEST #2 — 24 Cells
The speeds shown in above testB are slightly lower
than aotual speed at beginning of discharge . The batterieB
are partially discharged before readings are taken.
Total drop in motor commutator brushes etc. at
60 amperes « 1 volt
Total mileage from full charge will be about 35.
Motor should have ball bearings throughout. Springs
will have to be made heavier to hold the extra load of battery.
With ball bearing motor normal running current
would probably drop to about 45 amperes and greater mileage
will result.
Cost of complete battery equipment, consisting of
24 A-4 Edison cells and trays etc., will be about $264.00
r jr*.
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(X^A-vv rilo i-^-A .. G-*-A-*i(Ca ft-^u> km <A^j u.&w\, <xZlC^ t C£,
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[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
Orange--Mfty 15, 1912.
W. H. Mason:-
I want complete drawings of the flexible
. coupling which we use for connecting motors with
drive mechanism.
I have to connecta 30 K.P. motor with an
air compressor and want to’ use our flexible coupling
with leather straps etc.'
Please hurry. . . .
(Signed)
CITY DYE
DRY CLEANERS
AND LAUNDRY CO.
WORK§^^
e«^tT
^ D , r. a_-.iL- Cal July 15. 1912. _
jdx.r. *J£. ^a^~> I
— , U* »«=r 5r -1
*Jrfevfcsr- 1
„ <s'
w
Thomas ’Atlidison’, , _
Orange, Hew Jersey .j,
My dear Mr. Edison: -
Under date of June 30th 1911, you wrote me a
very interesting letter and enclosed the result of your oare-
ful investigation of delivery costs. In your letter you in¬
formed me that you were developing a light delivery electric
wagon, carrying seven hundred to eight hundred pounds average
load, that could he sold for less than one thousand dollars
around Hew fork City. You expected to have the wagon on the
market last fall. Subsequent to the receipt of your communi¬
cation, I saw hy the papers that you were enjoying a trip
abroad, and knowing that on your return you would find
sufficient accumulated correspondence without any additional
ones on my part, I decided to wait until you had found a
breathing spell, before taking up the matter with you.
X am still interested in the delivery problem, and
it is becoming more of a problem every day. Manufacturers
of automobiles are covering two fields, the pleasure car
and the heavy delivery truck, there is an untouched field
between these two, that of the small merchant and the establish¬
ment delivering small or light articles. An attempt is being - ,
made to cover this field by a number of automobile manufacturers
who are converting obsolete or make-shift contraptions into 's *
light, cheap, delivery wagons. The result is that the purchaser \
of these gross impositions finds it necessary to either relegate t
them to the junk pile within a few months, or continually <r
rebuild then.
I was in hopes, after reading your letter, that you
had solved this problem, and the only fear I had was, you were
not going to manufacture them fast enough to supply the
demand. The price of the Lansden trucks shown me by your
los Angeles agent is prohibitive, the truck is also larger,
and of greater capacity than is required for ray business.
The agents for the lVaverley Model 83 delivery wagon,
gave me a week's demonstration with their wagon. The
demonstration was wonderful, it oocured during a week of the
very worst weather we had last April* Xt rained every day "but
one, and I selected the very worst route in my delivery
territory ^.^^g perhaps, you might be interested in the
performance of this wagon, I am enclosing a copy of their
record which is absolutely correct so far as the mileage,
stops and weather conditions were concerned. As to the energy
consumed, X have had to take their record.
& f
T.
A. E. #8
X am also enclosing copies of my Up Keep record
covering a period from Hovember 1909 to September 1911
inclusive. (These records are absolutely correct, as they
are taken from my books.
Trusting that the information contained may be
uj^c- ejyJL
•ur
'* ''+T
ii,Mj-w-fctese *&- x
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- h - ^iri^r
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motor ©or ©o.
/(T .***.-+ 4lli*ttMrIr .. f
$ariftr (Snast Iranrir
PLEASURE CARS
~\0^‘
j-*P°
MOTOR TRUflWS
355 POLK STREET
SAN FRANCISCO
August Cith, 19^^' , 3K tf'-*
k<0* , j
V“,
Tr. Harry Killer ,
#, 1’} 108)8 a Edison Co. ,
Orange, IT. J. „ _ #
Bear Hr. Killer:- ^ ^ ^ fy/*
Since tnere Has been so r.any weexe ^
veussi iA i,
-;rHSsr£; - „
“ “"iir u pS"i”.j, “«« w. u.«. -iu »• >«r .# y/L ,'.t»
1 .... - ce in(A‘ .ij- ,)
;0 turn tills wegon over for wanfectunng aiAjn v M
citron to he equipment that ne intenueu !;«n« ctjyf-
ing.
you on
y/)f
Will you please let i:.e nave a «ro l^if AyV
subject at your earliest convenience ,^o^T M /
\A h
7f
2
RHC/IC
g-iiTefy . £<b0f‘&£ ■
| ^-LcX-^Z'C*.
^■cnr &<Xt^t£( <— .(x c
cX i
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l
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September noth
•Mr.
, EdiBon;-
Sr”ss.?i.r“
.ns BS5rKS^,«”.i 1«»
regarding these guarantees.
sriMsr.v™sr1„]?s.3“»yy.o «... ««».«...
on tnese batteries.
&?•
put on ^ne guarantees to Anderson in Detroit.
you will note the guarantees vier
they left our factory.
dated at the time
WGB : 3PVT ■
wr.,
' Oct. 10th, 1912
<Mr. M. R. Hutchison
rogacg RUN OH #g PS11YERY WAG OH - L0AP.B00 IBS.
Five' trips have been completed over the course,
making a total of 75 miles. At the end of the fifth trip it
was found that the tube connecting the stud abused for steer¬
ing has broken at a point where it had been brazed. The broken
section looked as if it had been crystallized.
X have ordered a larger size tube to replace
this and will ao away with brazing at this point.
The front axle has again sagged slightly,
(probably — to the maximum give of the hickory piece on
/ top, and while it may not sag any more I think it would be
advisable to put a small truss rod underneath the axle; this
(_ would be a very easy job ana can be done quickly.
Aside from theabove everything else is working
O.k. We dia not have to adjust any chains on this model as
we haa to on first few runs of previous models.
Part of our real rough roaa on Cherry St.,
West Orange, is being repaired and will probably be a good
■ . , t u W* uvut shqhity
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COPY - for T. A. Edison frora "i . 0. Boe.
BROADWAY AUTOMOBILE C0MPA1IY, Inc.,
1726 Broadway,
Seattle, V|£sh . , Dec. 6,1912.
Anderson Electric Cal* Co.,
Detroit, Mich.
Dear Sird:--
The following comparative cost of hauling fifteen hundred
ton of coal per month mado "by the Rainer Heat & Bower Co .
will he of interest to you. They were originally doing
this hauling hy team, using four teams, per day at a cost
of §20 .00 per day for teams and driver, and they were in
operation the full thirty days per month, making a total
ooet of §600.00 per month.
Two years ago v/e installed the Edison Battery electric truck
for them, v/hich lias since hoen doing the work of the four
teams at a net cost of §200.00 per month, including Repairs,
electric current at 1 and the two drivers one at §65.00
and the other at §70 .00, which shows a net saving to them of
exactly #400,00 per month.
It is needless to add that they are thoroughly satisfiod with
the electric vehicle. Your Mr. Donning is familiar with
the truck in question, and knows that it is not modem hy
any manner of means. What it would he possible to do with a
firts-class, up-to-date truck is impossible to say, hut there
would no doubt be quite a saving made. They are making their own
current by steam power and are charging themselves 1*2^, which is
one cent per E. more than they would have to pay for the same
in the open market. This would further reduce their operation
cost, but even at the price quoted above it is very satisfactory.
Thi3 truck is equipped with A-8 72 cells. It vruld undoubtedly
do better with an A-10 or A-12, that is it would operate more
economically. This oar is given a soven hour charge each
night, and a one hour boost each day.
Yours very truly,
BROADWAY AUTOMOBILE CO .
F .A .Wing .
EAW-D
Hr. Thos. A* Edison,
Orange, N. J.
My dear Hr. Edioont
Deo. 18, 1912. ^
. 4_
-f -**“■* 1 r ’'
I am pleased to acknowledge receipt of your
far or of Nov. 15th and was agreeably surprised to note you are
now on the No. 5 experimental wagon. 1 trust you have been able
to make the test you spoke of in this letter and that the general
construction was up to your fullest expectations..
I know in work of this kind that it is not
always possible to be able to tell when you will be ready but
as I have said before on account of my extreme interest and the
fact I am ready to do business I am going to ask an expression
from you as to when you think you raieht be able to proceed with
the manufacturing of the several units so that we could more
seriously begin our operations here.
I know absolutely that the entire situation is
governed only by how many sets of the several units that you can
supply. We oan build and sell practically all you can give us
and are extremely anxious to enter the field. I would thank you,
therefore, to advise me at your convenience if possible the prob¬
able time at whioh you could begin delivery. Understand please,
I fully understand your procedure and that the matter of a few
months makes no difference with myself and associates but Binoe
we contemplate erecting our own buildings for this work we nat¬
urally will require some time for thiB and could prooeed and have
our plant ready to begin operations at such time as you feel you
aould begin delivering the equipment. Kindly, therefore, let
me hear from you on the subject for whioh I thank you in advance.
I trust you are enjoying good health and with
05 -’nr
3o\MvlkJX'iA'^
New York.
}&
>0^(
y£v
Mr- Thomas A- Mi son,
Llewellyn Park,
Orange
Dear Pir:~
V-
, L#
h
\y
r wi2-
kj>
t5t -ft'
'VC;
...
Sometime ago your representative called o’^flp “to ,
statistics of our delivery department saying you werej^6-^tiri^5ui^ ^
an Electric Delivery Wagon- ^ Ys/y* \1^ j*
Will you kindly let un know how you ar#/ ge^^ ttlqsg witif J*'
it as we are anxious to know- ^ / \* }^\ /
Hoping to hear from you at an early date ajg^^anjtfng^d^f ?|%
in advance , we beg to remain ^9 P ^ ^
Most respectfully, rufc> ^ ^
John Daniell^thns on3-
4/ r \^/
fit' f tr
i 4> y \ ,
V J y j-
ir ./r jT ^
V „ # «/' *
# x", '
\AW ^
year Company, iiatm* — e-
Canaria, will be, it is believed, the first company to
rccfe.iyj^ raw material as a result of the lifting of the
embargo.
The Wisconsin supreme court lias held that the
city cannot lie held as liable for damages in personal
injury actions, based on accidents caused by the vehi¬
cles of the police or fire departments.
/ All ordinance reducing the perinissalilc speed of
/ motor trucks front 15 to nine miles per hour is under
[ consideration by the board of aldermen of New York
Performance of Waverly Model 83 Delivery wagon
under demonstration to City Dye Works, Los Angelos, Calif.
1912. Demonstration made by C. P. Payne V/averley Co s rePr®"
sentative in the interest of the H. 0. Harrison Co., Los Angelos,
Calif. State Agents.
miles per
stops
' time ' weather
' roads
battery to¬
tally discharged
Monday
47
72
T - 1 -
' 0 hrs.' rain
>25 raitf.'
* had
Ho
Tuesday
41
46
* 6 hrs.' rain
' had
Ho
'45 min 1 D
Wednesday
44
38
i 6i45" t 3^^
'very had
Ho
Thursday
45
35
> 7>15» ' rain
'very had
Ho
Friday
42
60
' 8'35" ' rain
'very had
Ho
Saturday !
21
27
* 3' ' dear
' fair
Ho
To & from
garage
30
!
Total
278
276
' 40 ' 5" 1 5 rain
' >1 clear
' 1 fair
Ho
( 100 K. W. H. .02- §2.00
Edison General File Series
1912. Battery, Storage - Delivery Wagons - Endurance Tests
[not selected] (E-12-12)
sSSSSSS
reports from "Endurance Runs" on two delivery wagons.
Edison General File Series
1912. Battery, Storage - Delivery Wagons - Lansden Co. (E-12-13)
This folder contains correspondence and other documents relating to
the business of the Lansden Co., a Newark-based manufacturer of electric
wagons in which Edison for a time held the controlling interest. Among the
documents for 1 91 2 is a draft message by Edison stating that he has sold his
interest in the company and is no longer invested in the concern. Also
included is correspondence regarding a sales commission collected by
Edison's brother-in-law Ira M. Miller. Other documents pertain to accounts
receivable, customer relations, vehicle repairs, road tests, and agreements
with the Edison Storage Battery Co. The correspondents include Edison's
private secretary, Harry F. Miller, and his personal assistant, William H.
Meadowcroft; laboratory employee Robert A. Bachman; Charles Brecher,
secretary of the Lansden Co.; and the law firm of Roemler & Chamberlin in
Indianapolis. Several items bear marginalia by Edison.
Approximately 30 percent of the documents have been selected. The
unselected material consists of additional correspondence concerning
customer relations, accounts receivable, vehicle repairs, and other matters.
The Lansden Company
Electric Commercial Vehicles
TRUCKS AND WAGONS FOR EVERY SBRV1CE
EDISON STORAGE BATTERY EQUIPMENT
NEWARK, N. J., U.S.A,
January 19, 1912,
Hr. Ira M. Miller,
199 East Market St. ,
Akron, Ohio.
Dear Sir:
■ Answering yours of the 4th inst., wish to
advise that THE JACOB METZGER COMPANY have favored
us with a remittance covering a very small percentage
of the amount of their indebtedness, together with
three notes, all dated December 4th, maturing at one,
two, and three months from date. As this matter
vd.ll not be finally settled until after March 4th,
it will necessarily have to be hold in abeyance
until such time as conditions will permit of our
taking the matter up with Ur. Edison, and at which
time you will be advised of his decision.
Yours very truly,
THE I A1IS DEN COMPANY
GHB/SS
The Lansden Company
Electric Commercial Vehicles
NEWARK, N. J., U.S.A.
February 27, 1912.
Hr. H. F. Hiller, See.,
Thomas A. Edison,
Orange, IT. J.
Dear Sir:-
Y/e havo received yours of the 20th inst. ,
asking us to notify Mr. Ira M. Miller, Akron, Ohio,
that Jacob Metzger Co. still owes the lansden Com¬
pany §800.00, and that when the receiver settles >
the matter of Mr. Miller’s commission will be taken
up.
Yours very truly
By
THE XA1TSDEH COMPANY
v/lc/hmd
CAlll ,i» AIIOIIKSH: "1.AN8DBNCO., NKWAHK*'
The Lansden Company
Electric Commercial Vehicles
TRUCKS AND WAGONS FOR EVERY SBRVICB
EDIiON storage battbry equipment
Mr. Ira I.i. Miller,
Akron, Ohio.
NEWARK, N. J., U.S.A.
February 27, 1912.
Dear Sir:-
The Jacob Metzger Co. have gone into
the hands of a receiver, as you said in your letter
of February 20th, you expected they woxild.
This company still ones us v800.00,
and as soon as V7e receive a settlement from Metzger
& Co., v/e nill take up with you, the matter of your
commission.
Yours very truly,
THE IANSDE1T COMPANY
By
wic/hmd
0 b*'
The Lansden Company
Electric Commercial Vehicles
TRUCKS AND WAGONS FOR EVERY SBRVICE
EDISON STORAGE BATTERY EQUIPMENT
Miller, Secy.,
Mr. Thomas A. Edison,
Orange, IT. J.
Newark, N. J., U.S.A.
March 4, 1912.
Dear Sir:
y/e enclose herewith a letter received from
Mr. IRA K. KILLER , under date of February 29th, together
with a copy of onr answer thereto. 7,'ill you he good
enough to return these to u.s for our files after you
have noted same.
They are sent you for your information, and
any advice you may wish to give us in this connection.
Yours very truly,
THE 1A1TSDEIT CiOMPAHY
J CODUt<rv\ (XrtH-4 ytO-tA
vcL^- 3pH<^
rJ^^2.y>S^ Jf* (XydixA. Aui ***
O ^ JL*~ **&< f" fez#*** , ^ f
— -fifVr&idn. ‘ i&usvjl- Aoa* <^t£ ~^/^aaa^ ’MsoJfs XA,
(ImJLs dllAjJL tf*£ ^aA Cb9 -%!U GrUA^AA^j it
_iu itljL. Xw*x <>j a. /fj Ujuav**— Cox, Aa>a/A.
•fijuusu AxmaJ- -JLijO At^yOh,
<$c&, 'MAJCttssr Aa> aaa /(LxaaaA^ 0^ $p"fjUiisu~
9a(oJuiam /rwjti* tj! StAuf/OtAA. o^-c^Cuj (o£c AajM. '^hjtUL^
dt^jL- U <HAAT JaaAxakXaA^ $UZ^ OyyJL,
UrLo j&rfi (t^kyr ^cCCca^ ^w 'tflio. 0.. £<&**-*, S<aa^
w,m ., -,*
jU 4 y ^
dHco°< % o' X< C^y^f cn. 7&
JU.J.U, tL *;T^\;.
JcLa^Ua. Sc* HU1&* We jt& ^ ***
sl *~~*4 *^tir:£x
^rr>X Trir ^ ^ ^
ftjl, A /U* L, jX*/y '7
ZX JzT**** Mi^ ^ ^
Jlo^yt ‘A^, t — "V4A !P~~~i 4hdt e ci* Lt£C*-rc //.*
uAL^ejii^^ *2> JTJUm^
April 3rd, 1912
LAanpKiT
res*
*ho Lanaden So»t started yesterday and
TOa«r the sane conditions an before. HWrtae « lo»a
of iron ar.a nm over the fwp courn o.
l'otnl miles — 1346.9
ptiy'c railoago - 60.B nilon
If. run
of £,600 111 fi .
Condition of gmoh_
» to truck in in *h» »w«* condition nn whan it
loft hero, yehmary BSthv 1918.
condition of C onrne
She heavy mine have node the streets very mul,y
and enpeoially Cherry St.
April 4th,1912
LAHSPi-at tsht
Total Kilos — 1497.2
Bay'o Miles — 90.1
Condition of GhaBBis -- Truck running O.K.
Condition of Course —
Cherry St. too anngerous for the night driver to
go through.
Trips ’ around course — 6 trips
— O.K.
Remarks
April 6th, 1912
Total Milos — 1575.1 Miles
Day's Miles — 77.9 Miles
Condition o? Chassis — 0. X.
Condition of Coarse — Cherry ~t. now passable
HeoorhB — She lends on the ampere hour meter broke loose
met nipht due to pound inc on cobblestones.
The Lansden Company
Electric Commercial Vehicles
TRUCKS AND WAGONS FOR EVERY SERVICE
EDISON STORAGE BATTERY EQUIPMENT
NEWARK, N. J., U. S. A.
April G, 191.1.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
Indianapolis, April 3, 191*'
The Landden Company,
Newark, II. J. In re The Jac. Metzger Co.
Gentlcmcn:-
Answering yours of March 29th, we beg to say that
the Receiver i" still operating this concern, with a view
to putting it in such shupc as to obtain the very highest
possible price from a prospective buyer. This can only
bo done by giving a practical demonstration of the real
merits of the business and showing a profit during the
time the Receiver is operating the business. He tells
us that he is getting things in good shape and within
the next two or three months, will bo able, as he things,
to obtain a sufficient amount for the business to pay off
all creditors in full.
V.e ourselves are not quite this optimistic, realiz¬
ing th; t it is a very difficult problem for any Receiver to
pay out one hundred cents on the dollar. The operation of
the business is not for the purpose of paying the debts
out of the profits accrued fi-om the Receiver's operation,
but rather to make such a showing as will induce good bids
for the business. The Court is permitting the Receiver
to operate for this purpose only.
V.'e presume it will bo two or three months before any
final conclusion is reached as to the sale of the business,
or any reorganization, which might be possible. If however,
anything does develope in the meantime, we will promptly
, . V ery truly„yours,
advise you. v J t
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
The Lansden Company
Electric Commercial Vehicles
NEWARK, N. J., U. S
April 26, 1912.
TRUCKS AND WAGONS FOR EVERY SERVICE
EDISON STORAGE BATTERY EQUIPMENT
Hr. II. I?. Miller, Secy.,
Thomas A. Edison,
Orange, H. J.
Dear Sir:
Enclosed please find a letter, dated April 20th,
which we received from the MIGHT -DICKIITSOH HOTEL COKPAHY ,
regarding the Hotel Bus Ho. 590 which they purchased last
October, and 7/hich they claim is defective.
Kindly advise us what you want us to answer the
V/right -Dickinson Company. Or, do you prefer to take the
matter up direct with them?
Yours very truly.
THE LAHSDEH COMBAKY
cb/ss
Enc .
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
LOE 'eb**' **/'
ipril 29, 1912.
Regarding the attaohod ^etter^fj^m the hej;
to say that thi s is an old style Xansc^n car/^ajtd one^
shipped out of stock. I do not know~Avhati^lRd <{f wheal^.sfcme had
^.SrPlIZ cu-ut, ''•e"'-'
hut do know it was the old style fij
V^c
I would advise Mr. Miller t^fi^d^o&what really broke the^
wheel. It is hardly creditable that this wheel sj^ultr’hreak under
ordinary circumstances. The policy of automobile concerjis^Is that
broken parts should be returned to the factory J>f**inBpeotion and
repair parts which can be furnished by them at a less cost than
elsewhere .
(J\ ^JLAM.
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<yL jtfclL y^/lCfasul J0tj&4{jM*4^<n«j /hz> (uAh
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dj <t$JL> juy<-^A- iL£y~ 0^
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jJaUL A' &***! &0*aajuU' 0-$- '£$ZA~ 'h^AAAJj
Muol Hum yfcCuML* _
&7nci
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
Hay 16th, 1912
She iansden company,
Hownrk, li. .7.
Qentlemen:-
In accordance with tho under at priding at
which wo arrived at our mooting thin day, wo have entered
your order for your full requirements of iidinon storage
Battorlon for your truokn nosering n period of fivo years
fro ia thin dato, at lint prioea for on oh hotter' ion lens
twenty por cent (20;$) dine mint, with an extra two per oont
(2$) for cash within ton daya.
{Should your purehason in any one year ox-
oood an aggregate of one hundred nnd twenty (120) cells of
type A-6, or thoir equivalent in price, per working day,
you are to have an extra two and one-half por cent ( 2-1/2 '5)
di eoount , irrespective of the cash di bo mint, that in to Bay,
the discounts would he 20$ and 2-l/2$, with 2$ for oaRh within
ten days. It being understood that if your pur chan os in tho
first year are lose than an aggregate of one hundred and twenty
(120) cell a of type A-6. or theif . equivalent in prioo, per
working day, v/o will Btill give you this extra two and one-half
per cent (2-l/2$) diecount., hut thin exception applies only
to the first year of thia arrangement.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
!>. ®o. (2) Eny 16/12
Should your purchases in /my ono year oxoood
on aggregate of tv/o Jmndred and forty (£40) cells of type a-6,
or thoir QQUiv/ilont in price, per working day, you are to h/>vo
n discount of five per cent (8$S) in addition to the regular
discount of twenty percent (20,1). In this case the discount
would ho 20;? and 6J», with an extra 2;? for cash within ton days
Wo agree that wo will fill orders equally
f.-r all users, end give no ono an advantage. In any event
v/o will not give to other makers of trucks a hotter price
then you receive for hetterien vvith which such trucks are cold
If you decide to abandon the use of nflinon
Storage Batteries, you nro to give us six calendar months'
notio© of your intention to do so.
In order that we nay he aided in carrying
out our guarantee no to life of batteries, it is understood
that your trucks, in which the battery in to ho used, shall
be properly motored, and that the battery boxes shall bo
so constructed that our instructions con be readily carried
out by the user.
yours very truly,
SH2 3DIS0H ffOKAOK BmJKT CO.
KtrsiDSHf.
The Lansden Co.
(6Urtw
S. R. BAILEY & CO.
t
AT.
/f'K
^ '' <?%£<? ...4a <yc7 i^
-z?z^y &.c
yJtze^L *<Z-
£Zj/&0-~Z^-O , ^2(6^-
,5^25^—
G-Zi^t tC^u, *-*-- -O^e-T .5«^
^*r ‘^^rs Js^c^t <sZe^G y^i^C
^ (^ y^- cQ <7?^cm^L yZy£
"" ^>c^<. ~7yy,A? yy/bc^Ca ,
42^ y>n>t^£ /& cz^ti^^bC. "^Zd- . ^
c-Ks&.-iCc
^ -gy, J^c^c> <sz£^_ (
-^V^_ .
The Lansden Company
Electric Commercial Vehicles
TRUCKS AND WAGONS FOR BVERY
EDISON STORAGE BATTERY EQUIPMENT j
NEWARK, N. J., U. S. A.
l,lay 23, 1912.
Harry E. Miller, Secretary,
Thomas A. Edison,
Orange , N . J •
V/o are in receipt of your letter of May “2nd,
and note that you wish to have full particulars as to
our invoices of May 15th for $235.20 and $04.55.
You no doubt , know that the North Western
Supply Company owes the old lansden Company or rather
to! Shomas A. Edison, $2835.00, for a chassisand battery
that they sold to the Eire Department of the is
Seattle. Several test runs were made with thi- chassis,
none^of them being satisfactory and the City of Seattle
wanted to return this chassis, for the reason that the
guaranteed mileage could not be obtained.
We had this matter up with to. H. A. Bachman,
and after conferring with him instructed E. P. dampen
& Co., of Seattle, to deliver to the City of S^ttie 14 cel
of A-G batteries, and charge them to Mr. Edison. This wa
done and we have settled for these batteries, as per en¬
closed invoice of $235.20. Another test was run after th
additional batteries were installed, and weunderstandtoo
reports that the Electric Vehicle Company of Oregon
that the City of Seattle was to pay for thiB chassis on
April 25th if a new steering-head could be placed m the
chassis before that date, as the steering-head that was
originally ins tailed was not up to the specifications and
wasSentirely too weak. We therefore expressed them
-teering-head at once, so there should be no furthei delay
to perfect settlement of this account and as we understoo
that to. Edison would rather make 3uch concessions than ha
the chassis returned to him.
Trusting that the above is the information that
you wish to have, we remain.
Yours very truly,
THE LABSDEH COMPANY
3DEII coat™ 1
/ Oicc/tc
ADDRESS: "LANSDENCO., NEWA
Sen Company
^ Blectrl^ComirraercJall Vehicles
f/
ON i p6% e\Ier* service
BA,IFRY e<*fjMENT
- | _ ©a*** vf
V®#-'N-J-*U-S-A-
,4* 1 May 31 , 1912* „
%t^
,. frets'
. Miller, Secy..
Thomas A* Edison, Esq.,
Orange, II. J. v
Dear Sir:
In regard -Bo the MEHpHAHTS TRANSFER £
account, concerning which I talked with you over the 'phone
this morning, - particularly the $1997.50 for the oar which
The Lansden Company shipped them on June 16, 1911, practi¬
cally a year ago - we have had a good deal of correspondence
with Mr. Jno. 1. llewbold, the President of this Company in
regard to this account and have tried to have it settled;
hut we could seem to get no satisfaction, excepting the
statement that the car was not right and that it was sold
to him as a demonstrating car in June, when the Company
knew they were never going to make any more cars of that
tyUe. He further claimed that he not only got no satis¬
factory service from this, hut got no service out of the
o.ther two; and along about the first of the year, or some¬
time in February the writer personally made a trip to
^Washington to see if the situation could not be cleaned
fup and” get a settlement of the account.
Nothing resulted from this visit, end the writer
personally made another visit in April, trying to get the
matter settled, in the hopes that this bill due you would be
paid in full, and we be able to make some arrangement with
Mr. llewbold, or somebody else, to handle an agency for us
in Washington. We felt that nothing could be done either
by our own man in Washington if Mr. llewbold was sore and
refused to pay his bills because, as he puts it, the car
is no good, and that he felt the Company was not honest with
him in~selling him an old type car as a demonstrator when
they knew thenew type would be out in a month or two .
A week or two aao we received a letter from
Mr. llewbold. President of “the Merchants Transfer & Storage
Co. , that he would either return the car and pay nothing,
or if we wanted to treat him in a way which he thought fair,
he would be willing to keep the car and pay $1200.00 for it,
because he had an opportunity to rent it out at a figure
which he believed would enable him to get this $1200.00 out
of it.
F. II.
5-31-12
The writer mentioned this to Mr. Bachman one day
last week and showed him this letter from the Merchants
Transfer & Storage Co. , and Mr. Bachman asked me to present
it to yon. This I had planned to do, hnt it has Been
impossible , owing to the multitude of things- I have had on
hand, and the fact that I have had to he out of town for
two or throe days.
Mr. Jflewbold, President of the Merchants Transfer
& Storage Co. has .lust telegraphed me, saying that ho would
like to'have some definite statement from us as to what we
will do in this matter, that is, he is closing his hooks
for the year to-day, and will either ship the car hack and
not pay his hill of $1997.50, or else, if we say so, will
koep the car and send us a check for $1200.00 at once.
My personal advice, from all that I can size up
in regard to the situation, would he that it would he better
to let him keep the car and get $1200.00 out of it rather than
to have this 1000 lb. car sent hack, which I heliovo would not
he of any U3e at all to Mr. Edison. In other words, Mr. Edison
had better lose $700.00 odd dollars than the whole $1997.50.
Will you he good enough to advise me by telephone
as early as possible to-day what your decision is in regard
to this matter, so that I may telegraph Mr. Hewbold.
Thanking you for your good attention to this ,
we remain.
Yours very truly,
THE LAIISDEII COMPANY
General Manager
TLC/5S
CABLE ADDRESS: "LAN9DENCO.**
The Lansden Company
Electric Commercial Vehicles
TRUCKS AND WAGONS FOR BVERY SBRVICH
EDISON STORAGE BATTBRY EQUIPMENT
Hr. H. S'. 'Tiller, Cccy. ,
Thomas A. Mioon, Ss<
Orange , IT . J •
NEWARK, N. J., U. S. A.
July 11, 1912.
Dear Sir:
On April 20th we mote you enclosing a letter from
the '.'/RIGHT -DI CKI1T30IT HOTEL CO., aiu^ asking
advise us to reply to them; or wlie oner you preferred oo ou..
tho matter up direct, hut wc heard nothing irora you.
In June, Ur. Dickinson, LTanaging Director of the
Hotel Seattle , wrote us that he had had no_ reply to_ nis late
letter of April 20th in regard to the .rounloa ,/nicn thoy
had had with this new hue; and we replied l nut our guarantee
covers defective material, and wo would he Slad to have them
write us what it cost them to have the wneol and differential
repaired.
They said, in their letter, that the • right
•forward wheel went to pieces and they had to rebuild at
entirely , and right on1 top of that tho differential hurst
into about1 a thousand pieces and .:hey n-d uo hove a new
made; and they fool under the guarantee Tho Lansden Commny
should pay for these repairs.
V/o have just received the enclosed letter from
the Hotel Seattle (dated July 0th) to which is attached a
hill for TJlll . 50 , vh ich they seen uo think The Lansden Co.
ought to pay, and judging from their letter it would appear
that there was sometliixin: defective in uhoso materi^lo.
The hotel buses were shipped previous to Dept.
50th, 1911, and this is really a charge against the old
Lansden Company.
I have laid this situation before Hr. Case, and he
has asked me to put the matter before you.
THE LANSDEN COMPANY
7-11-12
It would appear that something ought to ho done
in this so as to retain the good-vd.il of those people who
have he on very well satisfied with what tho Lansdon Buses
have done for them.
As the machines woro delivered before wo took
over tho company, will you advise us whether or not you wi
us to send them a check for this hill and ehargo same to
your account.
Yours very truly,
TIE LAI! 3D BIT COI'ii'.iiY
CABLE ADDRESS: “L.t.NSDBN 0."
The Lansden Company
Electric Commercial Vehicles
MAIN WORKS AND GENERAL OFFICES
394 TO 408 FRELINGHUYSBN AVENUE
NEWARK, N. J., U. S. A., .
Mr. H. F. Miller, Seoy. ,
Thomas />• Edison, Esq. ,
Orange, 1!. J.
Dear sir:
We enclose herewith a letter dated July 10th,
which we received today from the Receiver for THE JACOB
METZGER COMP MY , Indianapolis, Ind.
Yours very truly,
THE LANSDEN COMPANY
Enc.
The Lansden Company
Electric Commercial Vehicles
WORKS AND GENERAL OFFICES
-108 FRELINGHUYSEN AVENUE
Newark, n. J., u. S. a.,
Oot. 1, 1918.
Mr. Harry J. Miller, Secretary,
To- Mr. Thomas A. Edison,
Orange, N.J.
Dear Sir:
Enclosed please find a letter we
received from Roemler & Chamberlin
regarding the Jacob Metzger Co.,
Very truly,
THE 1ANSDEN COMPANY
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
ROEMLER & CHAMBERLIN
LAWYERS
L|S Sept. 25, 1912
The Jjianeden Company,
Newark,
In re Jacob Metzger Company.
Gentlemen
In accordance with previous notice sent out, a
meeting of the creditors of the above concern was held
Wednesday, the 18th inst., ana it was decided to sell
all the bonded whiskey now on hand and thereby procure
sufficient revenue to pay to the creditors, approximately
a 40$ dividend. This it is estimated will take about
thirty days time.
The creditors idea is to then continue the business
for a while in order to reduce the stock as much as possible
and thereby add further to the revenue. After this, it is
the plan to sell the business, if possible and get whatever
seems reasonable for it. In this way it is estimated that
the largest possible amount will be realized for creditors.
We will endeavor to keep you posted as to the de¬
velopments.
Very truly yours.
^ DAY LETTER
THE WESTERN UNION TELEGRApH COMPANY
CABLE SERVICE TO ALL THE ln „
26,000 OFFICES IN AMERICA . - . .
^®/A“.^!^ASSfKSi>l«Ivi!Sff^r£W ««'"* w",u"‘ *' ,b" “° “°',“ll>" belvidere b rooks,
Received at“ ' £-~ °
October 30, 19X2.
Mr. H. F. Miller:
Regarding the Olson Cartage Co. wagon returned to the lansden Co.
I would advise that the hansden Co. dispose of this machine, as it is not
the typo of machine that could he used here to advantage. The body is
enclosed type and would not be practical for our wor* here, unless the
Laboratory could use same. We will never get the value out of this mach¬
ine no matter what we do with it. If they cannot dispose of it , I woul
advise having it put in shape and possibly we could dispose of it in some
way.
• RT <■’ k- t- 6}>
XfauiJL/Cc
7 ao-o-4 AaM My Ady. tyfyd
j^uamm U». OA^b MaI^aam dl (QAu*
Ma (^UAUfo ^JlMy, /<jt( '%OaaaJja*a OAfAJUuL
do doufa. AA Ml a-€^ X* S4*al4 &A+A /uMu^^
n ftiisAi . dd&l f 3,06-0. v ^duj
JuuU drr aA ^jlA/MfyuAxA *1 to-** -Ui 04 tj4-v*(
&tuJiAm <L4 aA Mray MjAjaa -iJby /UAJa*/jU aA
Mm yuriMAUtJL MXaisv <uJ /fM-A- (ahsve*«A
TUAntdL fljtx, <rr (Jtu^y ^/aat^-
%oM& do -jds. yjuo JytAAAjlu*. (r ddaA d&Af
AahhaJa) AjiAma^ aLl /Ar^m^y $jl Khaat-
'J^QMaJUaa. (a, Mau) am AMuL M^AAUCfZu^y /MjL*
•XMu* a T\ZM~ Av-*^0~- (UaaL Oa &ha-ZJ
Tut HuJul clsdUvinAj My t<jr%- ddty
CiAjht-w,id QMcn*. do M&t-^ oAAL
cdLtM M*u /udAAAMJU) yd^U tyM* aaa-
-fHrr-y o-uA- ^o-uA(AAAr^y IMAZaaL tAUy
OM 0/ ^ **
torrd LrtiA^ <n^ ^
jZtrfUv oJ/Qe&l^ ■
(IouAaa^ zh- ZcU^oAry
CfrUJlJ JASLL- jAr •
§ ydL^\ Aau $ Mu^uJiJ
CjovjL JUU, A*. Jrcr^ A J^.
Uj/ajU* ol -jjU JUif/^ ^
'sCkaaA A**! 0/^~-*~-
Axto^a.
djhwv M^/ls ^elyou^- euJ ^
Jm>J\ (gJunsu/t/ i.rr- H -
,y .. ; Ojy 'tff <!'J(j
hr" />lV
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
;agT\o. \
November 14, 1912.
Regarding the Olson Cartage ^o. wagon which had been returned to
the lansden Co. for credit, I note that you make a memorandum
"Bachman, are there any more of these affairs.”
I am glad to say that this winds up the slate with the exoeption
of the Hearn Co. whioh you are familiar with; as you remember that
your arrangement with the Lansden Co. was that you would stand 50%
of the cost of changing machines over and put them in service. This
is however, something we will have to watch closely when the lansden
Co’ send in their bill, as I understand Mr. Case had arranged with
Beach of the Hearn Co. to rebuild these machines quite elaborate and
there is some penalty arrangement made whereby Case was to lose 850.00
per day on account of delivery. I understand Beach has taken advan¬
tage of this and the penalty contract has cost Case somewhere in the
neighborhood £T$330o!oO, which however is not part of our agreement.
The Olson Cartage Co. is an old matter and you were quite
you hold up this a or re n? s on6 ne onle 1 and.1 1 ell* them° t fie former lansden
Mr. Case to write the Olson people ana vexx^^ had keptit 8 months
Co. would not accept this machine i ^ year. They have
longer than the agreed contract j ^ t ^ bitten them a
kept it close on to a year and 8 month. . oase As & 0f
letter and put it up J^a^Chicago7-' nvestigate thematter and he
fact, I had our Mr. Rrayer at Chicago -Q^e^^ission t0 use -this mach-
ISf r^ifthf nlwnonenwas*complftII whick fus delivered to thorn some¬
time ago.
Gu^j AAASTKJLs JLX.juU*siA.
yii4^(uX+M~- 'Oonut tL ^uutz^
/a^ydLy C*^U> /£***&* #**■
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
Your No.
Order No.
IN REFERRINO TO THIS. PLEASE MENTION OUR SILL NO.
The Lonsden Gompamj
ELECTRIC WAGONS
VARIOUS TYPES FOR COMMERCIAL AND PASSENGER SERVICE
Newark, N. J. April 1, 1912.
Sold to Thomas A. Edison,
4476 -B
Req. No. Address Orange , IT. J.
Shipped day of to
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
4997
Terms: in REFCRniNa to this, please mention ouh bili. no.
your no. The Lansden Company
ELECTRIC WAGONS
Order No. various types for commercial amd passemger service
Newark, N. J. August 31, 1912.
Sold to
Req. No.
Shipped
Thomas A. Edison
Address Orange, II. J.
Via
To 1/2 the cost of "making good"' on 15
old Hearn chasses as agreed
Material for 15 chasses
10$ overhead
labor Machine Shop
82$ overhead
labor assembling & painting
82$ overhead
Total cost
$848
$110
$ 67
.2720
1272
1650
1353
1005
, 0401
teE40l
less amount charged Hearn
loss
1/2 of loss
15000
~zmo
1920
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
Terms :
Your No:
Order No.
IN REFERRINO TO THIS, PLEASE MENTION OUR SILL NO. 4476_C
The Lansden Gompany
ELECTRIC WAGONS
VARIOUS TYPES FOR COMMERCIAL AMD PASSESGER SERVICE
Newark, N. J. Sept. 30, 1912.
Sold to Thomas A. Edison,
Req.No. Address Orai^e, II. J.
Shipped
Via
j?or one -half our loss on Rebuilding
James A. Hoam & Son's Old Lansden Truck
Ko. 150, as agreed - to carry out promises
of Old Lansden Company to Hearn
176
i
LIST C.
TUT, A VCiV. OF ACCOUKTS RECEIVABLE UHCOU.EOTED AS OP SEC. SI, 1912.
Adams Vehicle Co. , Hew Haven
Adana Vehicle Co., Hashing ton, D. C.
Central Smelting Works
Commercial Vehicle Co., Manila
Frank 1. Dyer
Edison Storage Battery Co.
Electric Wagon Co. (V/.E.Eldridge) Boston
Edison Storage Battery Oarage Co.
Oreen Car Sight Seeing Co.
Jersey Biscuit Co.
$ 17.20
7.25
174.02
10.20
2,875.73 . '
212.30
277.00
25.65
3.60 I
12.00
Multnomah lumber & Box Co.
Total Uncollected Dee. 31, 1912 / $4,419 .E
J
■ , ( y.
tP
ut
t ^ i.06-7 ^
tv
, • • .■ • / 1 s v s 1
ft
^ f
_ /bctt&ut ^Lt-
M>jUL . hs . -
^idUf jtbudAUl JM (jHa/-
fh tyf ijhuU. (aajuAa
JUa /»&, AUi . . . ..:
$U 1^ ^AxJ Ai***^Aj C&
Ol^»aa^U ToCt
*Uf,->
fy* fitolMaMjL. - IJfOo.c
If /&h> 4<J&AjU* _ J Joc «<s / -
^aAtytUrrvf -6lfJb> _ _ — '^‘f^0 °.00
Edison General File Series
1912. Battery, Storage - Edison Storage Battery Company
[not selected] (E-12-14)
This folder contains documents relating to the business of the Edison
Storage Battery Co. The two items for 1912 are a letter to Clarence C.
Churchill regarding a sample of nickel hydrate and a report on tube loading
operations for January 1912.
Edison General File Series
1912. Battery, Storage - Electric Vehicles (E-12-15)
This folder contains correspondence and other documents relating to
the commercial and technical development of Edison's alkaline storage
battery and its use in electric vehicles. Many of the documents were written
by Edison or bear his marginalia. Included are letters and advertisements
concerning the Electric Storage Battery Co. of Philadelphia and its Ironclad-
Exide battery. Also included are a draft agreement and related
correspondence with the General Vehicle Co. concerning a battery service
system of central stations for electric vehicles, along with letters pertaining to
arrangements to establish a marketing agency in Connecticut. Among the
correspondents for 1912 are William C. Anderson, president of the Anderson
Electric Car Co. and manufacturer of the Detroit Electric automobile; longtime
Edison associate Edward H. Johnson; and Philip D. Wagoner, president of
the General Vehicle Co.
Approximately 80 percent of the documents have been selected. The
unselected material consists of unsolicited correspondence, promotional
material from companies seeking business with Edison, clippings from
periodicals, a form pertaining to product guarantees from the Edison Storage
Battery Co., duplicates, and items that duplicate the information in selected
documents.
f ublit grrou* Elfdrtr ©mnpauJj
Newark, N. J* Jan. 3, 1913*
Mr. Thomas A. Edison, w A / £w,\ f
Edison Storage Battery Company, ^
West Orange, N. J. cjlXC*-* . 7^
You will recall that in our
Dear Sirs'*
,3-
Jsation Saturday cy ,v f £..e.
?!
/
',y ~'*r ■ J
Iyou will recall that in our oonvetfe
you laid' particular stress upon the apparent lack of intelligent
engineering in the electrical design of the modern vehiole, and
pointed out improvements in motors, wiring, and controllers which
would increase the efficiency of these machines.
As you are aware, the electric lighting companies
throughout the country are championing the electric vehiole, in
the belief that, commercially at least, it will ultimately dominate
the transportation field. Already several lighting companies
have expended more money in advertising the electric machine than
has any one vehicle manufacturer. Because of this fact, we believe
we are justified in demanding from the electric vehicle makers
the elimination of the defects you indicate, and to this end propose
a conference of the vehicle manufacturers and active Central Stations
to adopt a standard of electrical design which will eliminate the
faults you mentioned.
May we ask you to kindly write us the details of your
investigation, and also any suggestions you may wish to offer
concerning the proposed conference.
Yours very truly.
SGT:D
i-ision Agent.
Y\n»E1*S0N ^LKCTMIC (Xi\ (o.
PLEASURE A
iV
X
3 COMMERCIAL. CARS
T, MICHIGAN
~Vi T
^ .ir vr
,«u> . (4^ , sf
AT.06rJ' '
Mr. Thos.V.. Sdison'T’' " \ V-*$*
Edison Storage Battery Co^t) ? ,.•'(
Orange, K.J. (v»'v
fK J jA
-I t/y v
o ^
Dear Sir:- _
Enclosed herewith I hand you letter and adver- ~~
tisements which will explain themselves. Hoiv, we desire
to know what your intentions are at this time relative
to keeping your battery before the- buying public. I
intended to have taken this matter up in person with you,
but our time was pretty well occupied with Mr. Ford while
there, and thi3 was entirely neglected.
I recall, and you must remember also, that
after entering into our working arrangement while there,
you put your arm on my shoulder and said: "Anderson, you
can depend unon one thing, we will not see you licked,
we will help’ you out in any way that is thought best.
The question now arises, inasmuch as these people are
spending from $15,000.00 to $20,000.00 a month, as to
what you are going to do. Your advertising department
has never been to our liking and we don't believe you have
received the value you should have received for the small
amount of money you have spent. V/e are experienced along
that line and have an advertising bureau here that under¬
stand their business, as you understand your battery, and
it is these people who should be put next to the propo¬
sition. I have' met two or three men who claim to be look¬
ing after your advertising down there, and I beg the
privilege of saying they are jokes. They may be all right
for Manhattan Island,, but they certainly won't do in the
I uniddle West where the big demand is. What you must do is
I /to keep your battery before the people and they must be
If told its qualities. V/e don't want a lot of publicity about
yourself; I find that people are well posted as to who you
\ are, but they are not well posted as to the quality of the
V battery.
I wish you would take this into consideration
and let me hear from you a3 to what your ideas are regarding
meeting the conditions as outlined in the enclosed letter
and advertisements. ■
Yours very truly,
V/CA-EP, Letter & Advs.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
Anderson Electric Car Co.
CHICAGO
1/8/12
Anaerson Electric Car Co.,
Detroit, Hich.
Gen t lemon -
Enclosed herewith find copy of three
ads which the Itod.de people propose to ran in news¬
papers throughout the country
Yours truly,
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
# AU-'^cr >55.%
ThSroncIaiJExWe
rBattei
The 4,ftoncla{>*£xii>C', Battery docs not quit on a hill nor when sta
It is also the battery which gives satisfactory service in either cold \vc
It can be kept in order with minimum attention and can he re-charged at
52 leading electric vehicle m;
"lroncla&«*£xi&cf
THEELECTRICSTOR^CEBAraRYCO,
The Oldest and Largest Battery Makers in the Country,
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
That “Electric” of Yours
Will Give the Best Service
When Equipped With
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
MORE MILES
With Less Attention
For Electric Vehicles Equipped With the
-“HronclaO -JExWe”-
BATTERY
The “TFtonCla&aEXf&C” will run an electric car more miles with less expense and less attention
than any other battery made.
It is a battery which gives satisfactory service in either cold weather or hot.
It can be re-charged at a reasonable cost, and kept in order with minimum attention.
It docs not quit on hills nor in starting a heavy load.
The 22 prominent electric vehicle makers have all endorsed the *'1Itonclat>»ExU>eM Battery. No
sure clectricvchiclcs’in this country would have selected the ^,ftOtlC?aO*EX*IDC,,, Battery there had been
a better one?
The following prominent electric vehicle makers ar
with the famous “JBXfOe” and “ WBCap^xlbc^Batt
“Wscaptffixfue” Batteries.
,*fronClaO*=3EXlDCM Battery, together
theEiectric Storace Battery Co.
The Oldest and Largest Battery Maker in the Country.
This advertisement is appear¬
ing in the following cities: —
Boston, Mass.
Cleveland, Ohio.
Chicago, III.
San Francisco, Cal.
Los Angeles, Cal.
Detroit, Mich.
Denver, Col.
St. Louis, Mo.
Washington, D. C.
rr AS /i /
'fybikq YfAUJU, S
fbmli**- CU<^\
' ..> /•?,.,. L WO
J=U«». ,c?f ...~>- v_-r
ELECTRIC COMMERCIAL VEHICLES
hand city, n.y. February 12, 1912.
Mr. Thomas A. Edison,
The Edison laboratories.
Orange, H.J.
My deaf Mr. Edison:-
ED1S0H BATTERY SERVICE SYSTEM - HARTFORD. COM.
Referring to the above, X have gone over the draft of
contract in detail with the Hartford people and they were very
much pleased with the form in which the agreement wbb presented.
They suggested, however, that two points should be considered,
First: The contract as drawn is limited to the City of
Hartford and they wished to have it revised to cover the terri¬
tory to which they supply current for lighting and power purposes.
Second: They raised the question of desiring to furnish
similar service for pleasure vehicles. I suggested to them that
as we do not make pleasure vehicles we would modify the agreement
to leave them free to deal with you direct without including us
in the matter.
X attach revised draft of the agreement* which you O.K'd
on January 26l!h, and have endeavored below to point out the changes
made in the- draft which you O.K'd. These are as follows:
Ho. 1, page 2, first line after "vehicles" insert "for bus¬
iness purposes."
after
Ho. 2, page 2, sixth line /"whereby" insert "the users of."
2/12/12
Mr.T.A.E. - 2
Mo. 3, page 3, add to first paragraph after words "Vehicle
Company" the following - "And in such vehicles made ty others and
not operated for business purposes, in which the Battery Company may
authorize the Light Company to use the same."
Ho. 4, page 3, article first, second line after word "driven"
insert "commercial", after word "vehicles" insert "that is, vehicles
to he used' for business purposes."
Ho. 5, page 4, article third, 3rd line after "be" insert
"as low as. the."
Ho. 6, page 5, article sixth, subdivision (1), changed to
read as follows:
"(1) That the Edison Storage Battery shall be installed and
used as aforesaid only on such electric vehicles made by the Vehicle
Company, but the Vehicle Company consents to the extension of this
license by the Battery Company so as to permit the Light Company to
use said batteries on electric vehicles made by others and not oper¬
ated for business purposes."
Ho. 7, page 6, article sixth, subdivision (5), sixth line
after words "Vehicle Company" add -
"and in such vehicles made by others, and not operated for
business purposes, in which the Battery Company may authorize the
Light Company to use the same." After word "any" in the next to last
line insert "kinds and" and change word "make" to "makes"; in the last
line change "Battery Exchange System" to "Battery Service System."
Mr.I.A.E. - 3
2/12/12
Ho. 8. page 7. article ninth. 6th line, insert before "ninety"
"At least."
Ho. 9, page 7, add article "BIBVSHTH."
I sending yo» herewith lour copier of the agreement. If
the for, 1. satisfactory to yea. rill y«« Kindly erect, three eepiee.
returning the. to me and I rill hare the. erected Mediately hy the
Hartford Bl.otric light Company, end rill er.out. the .... for the
general Vehicle company. returning ... copy to ydu. *» Hartford Bl.c
trio Light Company hat. called a meeting for Wednesday t. .lose the
matter up.
pro. my talk nth a. lunham. I do net heller, re need anti¬
cipate any curtailment of husin.es on account of congestion in er-
changing batteries a. the Hctferd Company rill. I think, undoubtedly
make such arrangement, as nr. indicated a. desirable fre. time t. time
to facilitate the business.
Yours very truly.
PD'iY -RIvIF
We are in receipt of your letter of February
10th, enclosing a copy of a telegram from the Edison Storage
Battery Co. We wish to advise that we have had absolute¬
ly no trouble with the felt coverings used in connection with
the Edison batteries in our garage. We have, however, been
particularly careful to see that the tops of the cells have
been kept dry and clean, so that there has been no danger
from short-circuiting, due to any of the felt having absorbed
any of the electrolyte. However, it is our opinion that
for a customer keeping his own car, it would be well to place
underneath the felt an extra covering of rubber. We have
lots of confidence in the protective qualities of the felt
covering, and unless we receive positive instructions from you
to discontinue its use, we will go ahead as before.
Yours truly,
AITEERSOH ELECTRIC CAR CO.,
AGD-IoME
WE
MAKE THE QUALITY,
AN,b THE QUALITY MAKES YOU THE PROFIT. . •
fir. ?. 1>.
Generi
Dear Ur. Wn
paragraph 1
you will V7S
again.
?oh. ir.th, 1912
igner ,
il Vehicle Co.,
3orfler £ Revit
lone H
7 Avenues,
Lend City, IT. Y.
lir. .'Odison nays Tie will concent to that anditioral
n regard to Hartford. I prefswe. therefore. That
to have the Contract reeopied ant! executed over
yours very truly.
v/hh/st
dc^ (C^rrs U-
^e|ives^ —
//|/LX_^Cp *£■ troth t^-C- pn^s'
J Jl—CL- ‘^-'•t'*— S^L<SlHc^)
^ j^iok^o-ck • /to //<nfev
/
nJii/ Ge, 4t£~
£Lc?vw-<i. ^^c<A uv»aX-^tX
£i- |2H aS&Pl e «^2- Loi^ti |^-il
/kXC'wuo
jl^XSijC ^J^'\a.6Lj> <!^C0tk ■£-
(JL
£E>-
The Converse D. Marsh
Company
r y Spruce St., New York
March
fifth
19 12
This is a copy of a letter wo ore sending
the Electric Vehicle Manufacturers not represented
in Boston.
V:e have brokon through the ice in Boston.
The Bowmen Company, agency for the St evens -Duryer
Car, who next to The Fuller Company are the biggest
Gas Car Dealers in New England, have taken over an
Electric agency. The enclosed clipping from the
Boston Transcript explains the natter.
Yours very truly.
cdk/eg
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
Boston Transcript
February 24tb, 1912.
ELECTRIC COMMERCIAL VEHICLES
PR I NCI PAL OFFICE AND FACTORY
Lons Island City, II. Y.
March £9, 1912.
Die. 3/2 8/12.
Mr. W. H. Meadow croft ,
Thomas A. Edison Laboratory,
Orange, Hew Jersey.
My dear Hr. Meadowcrof t:
I thank you very much for your letter of March 21st, in
regard to the suggested Battery Service System agreement.
I was not sure as to the intention with reference to the
points in question, and which you have cleared up.
Of course I as sunn that it will probably be impossible
for us to entirely clear nn this situation before Mr. Edison
gets back, but in the meantime I will go over the contract care¬
fully, and possibly suggest changes in the wording to make more
clear the points indicated in your letter.
ELECTRIC COMMERCIAL VEHICLES
long Island City, 1
April 8, 1912.
Bio. 4/6/12.
ilr. William E. lieadowcroft,
Thomas A. Edison laboratory.
Orange, IT. J.
Uy door I.'.r . lieadowcroft:
I have your letter of April 4 th. I also received a kbs-
soge from Ilr. Stevenson on April 2d, stating that you had ad¬
vised him that Hr. Edison is rather in favor of the contract
which we had submitted, but desires to provide that if the bat¬
teries improved at any time, certain modifications should be made,
etc., and that you indicated you would knew more about how this
was to be done when the letter which you sent ire with yours o"
April 4th was received from Hr. Edison.
In regard to the question of the Battery Company getting some
direct advantage if the life of the first battery were more than
five years: I have been thinking over sons way of accomplishing
this result, an! the following has occurred to kb os a possible
way of taking care of this matter:
Hefcrring to the guarantee, let the guarantee stand that the
life of any battery, with one renewal, shall be ten years; then ae-
termine the price of the renewal on a sliding scale, ao follows:
If the battery is renewed on or before the completion of the
five-year period, the price of renewal would he list price, less
25/' discount.
#2— WHH— 4/8/12.
If renewed between the end of the 5th and the end of the Cth
year the discount would he 2C$.
If renewed between the end of the 6th and the end of the 7th
year the discount would be 15$.
If between the end of the 7th and the end of the Gth year the
discount would bo 10$.
If between the end of the Gth and the end of the 9th year the
discount would be 5$.
And if renewed between the end of the 9th and the end of the
10th year the discount would be zero, or list price.
It seems to me that, in general, this would accomplish what
Mr. Edison has in mind, and in a manner to which the user should
have no objection.
In regard to the other point raised by Mr. Edison, namely,
that the discount to us ' should at all times be at least 10$ great¬
er than the discount at which the Battery Company regularly sells
vehicle batteries to Central .Stations, Power Companies, or Ga¬
rages, I would like to point out what possibly did not occur to
Mr. Edison, vis-, that the word "regularly" appears in the wording,
which you will remember was inserted in the Hartford draft in
order to obviate the difficulty which Mr. Edison has in mind with
reference to exceptional eases. Furthermore, as the contract
is worded the example cited by Mr. Edison of the _ _P.ailroad ,
would not be affected at all by the contract, as the relative
discount bears only on prices to Central Stations, Power Companies,
or Garages.
It v; ould seem to he that with the above comment the
second
objection in Hr. Edison' s mind possibly may be taken care of, and
that the first suggestion I made above might take care of the first
objection, so that we can go ahead and make sore progress.
I would be glad to hear from you in regard to the above.
I do not exactly understand the intent of the last clause of
Hr. Edison's memorandum, as I do not understat'd that we are in posi¬
tion to go ahead until the above points are settled.
Very truly yours.
0*7^) , £u~t> — ^
Presid ent .
PK7/CSD
April 11th, 1912
Mr. P. B. Wagoner, President,
The General Vehicle Co.,
long Island City, N.Y.
My Bear Mr. Wagoner:-
1 am in receipt of your favor of the Rth instant in
regard to the proposed forii $ contract. It seems to me that
you have met Mr. liaison's criticisms fairly well, and as soon
as possible after his return. t ortho library I will take up the
whole matter with him, and l/ think that he will be ready for an
early conference with you on the subject of this contract.
I am no more certain than you are as to the full
intent of the last clause on Mr. Edison's memorandum, hut I took
it to mean that in general he was satisfied with that kind of
contract if his criticisms could he taken care of, and that if we
could seo our way clear to meet these criticisms, you would he in
a position to make preliminary arrangements in one or two urgent
cases that yon might have on hand.
Yours very truly.
whh/es
V*
W r' '
JiLr, (Z ■ C 1
-£ • t 'cl tJSZZ^,
'&&fc‘”j£j££*.
;u_^~ ,uJ^ V- -
py^pxzr^ ziZOL
^ ^ <*_* 3r*^ V £<*> ^c^-
^c*ur<4>u. lofa^^A:CtL- y /U^^c £f
/^r*' tX-~-iC/'^A~f~*-^x-^ 'hsi*. ^2**-“‘-''-'‘"”-J_
^ -r *- 4-^^— ^<- -5 ^ "*~‘f-
o^-ajLu^ K-6~Ac-J~^ /W1-
J^, e^ '*-~~-t' '£-*-+*' -fc^v 4l*^, a>^M^. lJi*~— *Z*-r c— — *7 s^tZ, .
/ ' &C£s /&& -ty*-* -y*-
Ad, /Jr~**Aa4i h-'U/^Cy a*c£~ s<it- n*i ^7'*->-i -«-£. td~ (~ "?>-•— ‘-'^i- /&U ^t*^£ 1~^1*<-. >£■< 4T
'~msCL 'tZ-i £~-c4<£^_ t Ad *^i<^u. <vvw^c Ayy^c.
C ^ \i^r/A4. -y^-^j <2~'^
JUOUWKlt
>s/Ct. As6-c£Z+ C*CjC*~6. .
Ztu
<2~~y ■ZZ^
a, ^CiZ^ ZC. 0U. ^*6-4, -& ^ </
jZ r y 4^1 iSzO^- <Jw4 «< •‘-"‘C ^ 4^-, «- a+^c-.
(X^
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
Eeadoworoft:-
In the latest contract sent In re- Wagoner's -
there are two had things. Suppose we can make the battery laBt
8 lx years, or even seven years, we not only get no benefit from
it, but when it is returned, the chances that the iron is good
aro much less than if it lasted five years. The longer it lasts,
the less value has the returned battery to us, as the cans will
be more injured by denting and rusting. The irons will be older
and generally the returned battery might require renewal of both
iron and can. Whereas , if only used five years, the condition
would be more favorable for just renewing the nickel plates.
Evidently what Wagoner is driving at is that the
depreciation costs shall not exceed #181.00 yearly, and that
he gots what batteries he wants at the discounts named.
Jlow if wo can make the battery last six years, the
Battery Co. should get 3/4 of $181.00 for the extra year, and
the owner l/4.
This is an incentive for the Battery Co. to diminish
the costs to the owner by using every effort to increase the life
of the battery, even if the costs in the factory should increase.
Thus the owner is assured that depreciation costs will be no more
than $181.00 yearly, and may be less.
, Another point in this contract that is dangerous
and might tie us up in certain oases is this:
It says that tho discounts at all times shall be
at least {5 ft S'?) greater than the Battery Co. gives regularly
to Central Stations, Bower Companies or Garages. Hero is an
instance where it wou7.fi he had ®he R,n* thG °"bher 3ay
offerefi us an orfier for oar lighting for S8B0.000 of batteries,
providing we gave 20% discount. I turned it fiovm; hut there
' might he conditions where a million dollars might ho involved
that 1 couldn't turn fiovm; then all these Wagoner contracts
would have to he changed. Its a poor proposition to hose any¬
thing on so shifting a foundation. Altogether, when I return,
we shall have to go over this contract very carefully.
I telegraphed yon to-day so Wagoner could go ahead
with the one or two urgent cases and await my return f6r the
formal contract.
Edison.
MANUFACTURERS OF
ELECTRIC COMMERCIAL VEHICLES
Long Island City, E. 1.
April 17, 191H.
Dio. 4/ 16/ IS.
lir. \7. H. Lleadowcro.ft,
Thos. A. Edison Laboratory,
Orange, H •
I»y dear Hr. Head ow croft:
I thank you very much indeed for your lettor of April lDtn,
and am very glad to note that Lir. Edison has returned.
I will be unable to go over to see Hr. Edison v/ithin the next
few days, but will arrange to do so at the earliest possible mo-
In the meantime, I wonder if you could hive me a little fur¬
ther information on the points referred to in the last paragraph
of your letter.
Kindly give Hr- Edison my very best regards-
Very truly yom'S,
(f .
President
PD'.v/CSD
mmwLM ©w m*Mw
BROADWAY AT 8ST-H S
New York May 6, 1912.
Mr. Thomas A. Edison,
East Orange, Hew Jersey.
Dear Mr. Edison: -
We are instructed by our 3 on oral
Manager, Mr. Charles V/. Hash, Flint, Michigan, to
deliver to you one Model 36 Buiok Runabout. Ex¬
planation will follow by mail.
ags/h
Yours very truly.
ELECTRIC COMMERCIAL VEHICLES
PR I NCI PAL OFFICE
Lons: Island City, I'.y .
May 9, 19 IB.
Mr. ■». H. Mead owcr oft,
Buison Laboratories,
Orange,, IT. J.
Dear Mr. Meadowcroft:
I v;as prevented last week from
giving much attention to the battery system con¬
tract owing to the fact that I was called to Mon¬
treal the night after I saw yon and remained there
all the we eh .
I enclose a copy of my idea as
to t'’e wording of the contract in reference to
ten year cost, etc.
'.Till you look it over and let
and
me know what you think of itAif you have prepared
anything I will be glad to see how yon have clari¬
fied the wording.
Ai)3- CAM
Very respectfully yours
President's Office.
-^NDE«SON ^L^CTf(IC (a^ 0.
PLEASURE AND COMMERCIAL CARS
May 22,1912
Mr, Thomas A, Edison,
Orange, N.J.
My dear Mr, Edison;
I hand you herewith copy of the
registrations for the month of April for the state of
Caji'f. which will explain itself.
You will note there are some very interesting
figures noted thereon.
Yours very truly,
WCA/E
Eho( Copy of registrations)
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
Bui ok
Buffalo Trk
Oartillao
Chalmers
Chase
Clarement-Couriej
Clark Carter
Cole
Columhia
....Columbus
Commercial
Continental
Corbeno
Crane & Breed
Crawford
Cutting
De Tumble
Detroit Elec.
Dorris
Durooar
Elmore
Empire
Grahaa-Lcgan
Halladay
Hares
Henry
Herreshoff
Heme Made
Jackson
Kelly
King
Kissel Kar
Kline Kar
Kr.cx
Krit
Lansden
Lambort
L au t h-Juergeni
Levis
Lexington
Little Giant
Locomobile
Lozier
Hank
Marion
Pennsylvania
Pierce arrow
Pope Toledo
Pope Hartford
Premier
Pullman
tyueen
Kambler
Randolph
—Rauch & Lang
Regal
Reliance
Renault
Rene
R.C.K.
Sampson
S.G.V
Simplex
Stanley
Stanley Steamer
St earn r
Stevens Duryea
Stoddard Dayton
Stoddard Elec.
Studebaker
5 Warren Del
10 — V/avfirly
16 White IS
—Flanders Elec.
Flanders
Ford
Franklin
Frojer Hiller .
Firostone-Columbu
Garford
Glide
General Kotor Cal
Great Western
Gray
Grabcuaky
Haticnal
liyberg
Oakland
Olcismobile
Overland
Packard
Pnige-Detro:
S Wichita Fall
2 Wintcn
3 Dealers
4 iic make Give
June 3, 1912.
9*
Copy
of letter sent to
Anderson, Esq., Pres«,
Anderson Electric Carriage Co*,
Detroit, Michigan.
My dear Anderson:-
Hy machine which you sent me and which I only
use nersonally betwen Laboratory and house, was tested care¬
fully when it arrived, and over our asphalt test course near
Newark which is level, gave 69 watts per ton mile. I had
it tested again the other day. It now takes 109 watts per
ton mile. My man says all is clean and ^f11
the motor hearings; he says it’s very difficult to get at them
to oil.
Shall I investigate or can you put me wise
as to reason of this great change? Can it he roller hearings
have got flattened or something of that kind.
We carry 45 lhe. pressure on tires. I i
going to pump to 60 lhs. and run it over test road again.
Beach has abandoned roller hearings on his
cars, as he found the watts per ton mile kept increasing
right a}.ong. Have you any experience of this kind.
(Signed) EDISON.
Original lead pencil sent
Mr. A.
'Andekson fe^CTl^C (h{ (o.
Q JuB 15.1912 |
UrL ^ -^2 i
L -^rc. co=cc C ^
On my return I rind, your letters of the 3rd
and 11th, replies having been sent to you relative to the
inflation of the tires and the watt consumption of your car.
note you have been running your car on the tire at 45 lbs.
pressure. That certainly makes a car ride easy but you
cannot get much mileage or efficiency out of it. I note you
raised it to 70 and it showed a big reduction. Put ID lbs.
more in and the car will go back to normal. Please make this
test and let me hear from you further.
I was much disappointed in being beaten out
of my visit with you but the storm hit me at such a time
it was impossible to reach Orange and keep my other appoint¬
ments. There was nothing special but what X could transmit
to Mr. Bee whom X spent the evening with at the V/aldorf.
I went over several matters with nim with the understanding
he would transmit them to you for further thought and con¬
sideration. I would like to hear from you what your views are
regarding the future.
I am also interested in learning if you have
enlarged your plant so that your output is going to be
increased.
We toured 1500 miles all told and had an
enjoyable trip. Met lots of people that I had not seenfor
many years.
WCA/E
(^•4| 4^*-
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Cr^ v/
July 25th, 1912
Mr, ESI son:-’
BUICg MO? OR Sg.ARgER
Forging for the Series-Shunt Field lias been
received, and lulir is working on it. We have a complete
armature all ready to run for this, also brush holders
r’<t-nrf hearings, hut we have to make end brackets to fit the
large field forging, and these viV 1 he ready hy the time
the forging is machined.
&
AUTOMATIC TRUCK KOTOR '
Heavy strip copper fields hove been made
and are being connected up for this motor, and expect
to get it running with the above change and the heavy
loads tomorrow.
Will start on the controllers just as soon
as we get the next tests, so that we will know what ourrentB
and number of stops we will have to provide for.
With 6 calls of 1 4 connected to motor with very short leaSe^to
reduce loss in line* .u'V
LUTS BOLTS.
6.16
6 .8
6.4
6.7
r>6 *
.o°
yired engine over twenty times above average of input.
Motor stalls on about 100 ampB with short leads to Battery.
NOTE: The Engine starts on 40 to 46 amp. two or three
and then willr squire 56 to 75 to start showing varying friction or oom
pression .requiring more power at some tinier, to start.
(With above arrangements motor started engine over twenty times with
out failhre.^^ ^ notor not loes than 6 volts, amperes input not over 76
amP8‘ From thiB test it appears that the motor will angihe
every time if the voltage in motor trawls is not Isbb than 6 volts.
fiTTAKflTTO 3 B-4 CELLS.
ran YOKES. MP3. arBBU..,.
7.6 20 1680
WOTE: CHarging speed can be reduced to 1800 to 1400 R.P.M.by increase in
shunt fieia ttrength.if necessary.
(16 Tooth Sprocket on motor.)
This motor is having leadB fixed up and windings waterproofed,
then will be mounts^ ^ oooasional heavy current required for a stiff
Engine.takingJO amps.^or bV oSlfs?
Battery to motor and make tests with else B 6
Dear Bir;-
I presume that you know that lillwd has teen
up Btruck our City yesterday, and Towson
ran into him, and he had a S°°d de*1 ^ storing
the wonderful new battery tnat he was going sP£ate
on the Amerlcane, and he hftd a ^ nnd
” S’&l? art'll .~4 i» »«*“■
s^sssiibJs^s; jk. »» *» «-« p*p-»
hov/ he found this wonderful battery.
Yours truly,
anperson electric CAR 09.
a AND COMMERCIAL CARS
A^'
,.p
y i
X
]h
Orange, H.J«
Dear Kr. Edison j-
1 f* the° 27 tlienS on d^no t e** tha^y ou * ar e -
a j&i: inaiATii «*0g“r^t2*bSn s.
^-Avorlc some myse^;p™£r™ times the rest you do. I
showe d^y ou r^ 1 e 1 1 e r to a geat ^ir- odours at *
n . sr
i $ would not continue t0 * ^re considerably differ-
■ ^ t =? ^.l«-
,0“ x »*. « rt “\r«u.":r»s«o"“'
tion, and take recall experimenting and hoping
your time. You -^^Charping Set, please advise if
to develop a Hotary articular apparatus have
your experiments on th JP. later you mentioned
been abandoned. S** ri°cSle, as I remember it,
an approved reat^i-aa-B-^^P nice t0 know what
and spoke Hopeful of it. 1 -wouxu
has become of that.
, t irj.i carB as 1 have
-y The charging iB’the bigest
always told you, in tne ^1with. On’ account of the
handicap we have to thev are not reliable. If
cost, and the fact that they charging apparatus
we had a f75.00 absolutely fool VTO one thouB,nd
when completed, and what new. singer
machine
We a:
Monnot tomorrow.
The^outlook for' business !«t year
Hr. Thomas A. Edison, President - #2.
on the eUctrio looks very good ua*
to increase our output considerably, if the Exide
M s s^ssr* ■SJftivs'.su
oars, including the Anderson.
Oh another thing permit me to ask y°u>
How about Teddy Roosevelt? You know * 0trong for
Teddy, and every business man I meet thinKs i am
crazv. I am for the compensation act, and almost
every plank in his platform, especially the women;
jT wants them to vote, and so do I. He wants the .
judicial decision recalled, and so do I.
It would do a lot of good if you would write
me a letter, a little about the electric car, and about
your battery, and then wind up w“h thing^*
I am willing to put up my money to help this thing
along, and if you think you would like to write such
a letter, let me hear from you.
/ Yours truly,.
wca/o
Harold Cooke
Agent for
Thomas A. Edison, Esq.
Edison Storage Battery Co.,
ORANGE, N.J.
y «r.iA.aO-t .{4' l J- C'- -J
^ ^ ^fZioj£(r
^ 13 60c<:
The Hupp Yeats agent states that some friend of his wrote you i\
personally as to whether you guaranteed tlie Edison Battery and you replied _
you did not. {■
I have bet Die Hu:i:> Yeats man *100. that this Is not true. ___
In support of my contention I have coiiy of your letter of the 14th October ‘
1911 to the Anderson Electric Car Co, tuier your own signature, In which you V
agree to sell them the proportion of your batteries you have r served for -4 — ,
1913 pleasure vehicles and in which you state "we guarantee the bnttery c_j
for four years will be capable of developing its rated capacity" Tills — y~
I assume applies to 1913 Detroit cars.
3>P
The Hupp Yeats nan contends that the Anderson people guarantee.,
your battery on their own responsibility and that any other electric «P>“
vehicle manufacturer could do the same, only they dont recommend your j-
battery and wouldnt take the chance. He also states that he can get _ g
all the Edison batteries he likes direct from the Edison factory.
Vfould yoi
stating whetlier or nt
and' If so Whether to the .Anderson Electric Car Co
>e so kind as to write me a letter, over your ovm slgnatur<
you guarantee Edison Batteries in 1913 DETROIT ELECTRIC.^
e purcliaser direct?’ ■'
I am sorr'y to ask you to go to this trouble but the Hupp Yeats -...
man lias made it a condition that the bet can only be decided by you, for the.
reason that he is putting up his money on information a friend of his got ■’"t
from you liersonally.
I^E'WlOM'lj^EG'gllGi fe (Q.v
,, ,oo* GJ
l.ir. Thomas A. Edison, Pres. CVwcJ*! I ,?#> ^
Edison Storage Battery Co. \v v’** ^fu. 6 |^r 1 -/
Orange, N. J. . V i»>cL ,tefM J?
i,y doar :;r- Mi3on:- ^ G *j? $
X am writing to anlc that you^rite a peroofea ft- jJtfi
letter to Mr. i7. K, Bixoy, Century Bldg., St. Louis , Rooe^jto^ . rf** j
of tho Wabash Railroad Company, President of many othor concornq9''tf\ tr’ \ 'fi
and financial institutions and St. Louis's first citizen, giving JL^Aa X ' . »
him your personal assurances about tho,vEdison Battory in the /(J » JT
Detroit Electric.'5- , vl*6'
It is my good fortune to be able to say to you that**'*'.
out of seven 191S Detroit Electric Cars that I havo sold Jftsf it?*
St. Louis in tho last month, 3ix wore equipped with USA sMflaitoryT *| l r
and one with load battery. Tills one load battory oar /?as' eo^" / • */*
only because of the inability of tho purchaser to pay tho\_prico 4 yo)‘ ,, V
of tho Edison Battery, much to hor rogrot. J n*- jr
Sri V JT&
The sale of ono of our cars to Mr. Bixby wilFfcot ^ SW
only moan a victory for tho Detroit Electric and Edison Batteryff j/iT \
but also tho good will of a man whoso intorests in tho Uitttai'-'St^tofcCt?' ^
are widely spread and whoso influence moans a great deal \\ V j " pt
whom he might favor. Ji lL$' Jfr r
:ial appreciation if ycM u ft/" - f
Draft #8 Hot. £2,1912.
! entered Into thla .
of . . . 1918, between the 1
BATTERY COMPANY, a Hew Jersey Corporation, and THE GENERAL
VEHICIE COMPANY, INC. a New York Corporation; hereinafter
referred to as the Battery Company and the Vehiole Company,
• 1 ft) ‘ v..
reapeotively. . '
VLITNESSETH:-
KHEREAS, The Vehicle Company ia deBirona of stim¬
ulating the sales of its vehicles to users by arranging
with Eleotrio Central Stations, and others, to buy, maintain
and supply ourrent from storage batteries manufactured by
the Battery Company, to the end that the purohaBers of the
vehioles a an be relieved of the neoessity of making the
investment in batteries, or providing faoilities for charg¬
ing and maintaining such batteries, and
WHEREAS, This method of oarrying on the buBinesB
shall be known as the "BATTERY SERVICE SYSTEM."
Now, it is agreed as follows
1, The Vehicle Company agrees to build its
vehioles for this speoial "BATTERY SERVICE SYSTEM" in suoh
a manner that the batterieB used therein shall be at all
times easy of access, for the purpose of filling with
water and cleaning, and also not subjeot to being covered
with extraneous matter, and so that the battery unite will
not be subjected to exoessive handling, whioh would oause
any injury, shortening the life of the battery.
o
,7
2. The Battery Company agrees that it will fur-
nish to the Vehiole Company aa many batteries aB it may
require during the next six years from the date hereof,
for use on the "BATTERY SERVICE SYSTEM" and that the prioe
of the batteries, for the "BATTERY SERVICE SYSTEM" to the
Vehiole Company shall be list, with a discount of at least
twenty per oent. but in any event not higher than at pre¬
sent; and agrees that the diwoount shall be ten per oent,
greater than it generally sellB batterieB to Central Sta¬
tions, Power Companies or Garages for other uses than
"BATTERY SERVICE SYSTEM,"
But the Battery Company may refuse to sell on
above terms if the Vehiole Company interfere with the Bat¬
tery Company's business by selling said batteries at a
greater disoount than fifteen per oent. from the Battery
Company's list prioe.
The Guaranteed life of any battery to be sold
as herein contemplated, shall be governed by the terms
of thi guarantee ^
<W/^ &**f*+~ , ecj
, the parties hereto mave i
A"' — c-f fd.
nr witness
speotively caused these presents to be executed and their
respective oorporate seals to be hereunto attaohed by c
their proper offioers thereunto duly authorized. /
■i f\tU i
EDISON STORAGE BATTERY COMPANY
THE GEHERAI VEHICIE COMPANY, IN0.y
By
. rw
*',*7
Ct't .ff ‘
A<
<5j
C*C C.J “/<C£'1 . • ***’!>,, «./■
# /e'‘*-b t T
/ '•'•b ,v- (J u
, • 'tc:c
/*•■ ,:i "•••
Witness;
nish to the Vehicle Company as many batteries as it may require
during the nest six years from the date hereof, for use on the
"BATTERY SERVICE SYSTEM" and that the price of the batteries,
for the "BATTERY SERVICE SYSTEM" to the Vehicle Company shall
be list, with a disoount of at least twenty per cent, but in any
event not higher than at present; and agrees that the disoount
shall be t.en per cent greater than it generally sells batteries
to Central Stations, Power Companies or Garage for other uses
than "BATTERY SERVICE SYSTEM
But the Battery Company may refuse to sell on above terms
if the Vehicle C0mpany interfere with the Battery Company's
business by selling said batteries at a greater disoount than
“-fifteen per cent from the Battery Company's list prioe.
The Guaranteed life of any battery to be sold as herein
^contemplated, shall be governed by the terms of the regular j
! printed guarantee of the Battery Company, copy of which is hereto j
annexed marked Schedule B. - It being understood and agreed that
at any time within one year after the termination of the guaranteed
period of any coll or cells, the Battery Company will replace the
positive plates of such cell or cells at fifty per cent of the
list price thereof.
IH WITHES S '"HEREOF , the parties hereto have respectively
caused these presents to be executed and their respective
corporate seals to be hereunto attached by their proper officers
thereunto duly authorized. !
EDISON STORAGE BATTERY COMPANY j
;j Witness: by
THE GENERAL VEHICLE COMPANY, INC., j
Witness:
1. Person buys a oar equipped with Ironclads. When request¬
ing guarantee, finds car not "approved."
2. Person buys approved car, and specifies his favorite
make of tires. Discovers, after receiving car and requesting
guarantee, tires of not "approved" make.
3. Person buys "approved" car with "approved" tires.
Gets blow-out in country. Can buy another make of tire fron
Local Garage, but no "approved" tire. Must wait until one comes
from factory.
4. If car and battery, or battery alone, has reposed
in a "lost" freight car or local auto dealers place over 60
days from date of shipment from .Electric Storage Battery
Company Factory, no guarantee to purchaser if requested then.
5. If battery has even been in ERide Depot over 60
days from shipment from Factory, no guarantee.
6. "Upon request" indicates company is afraid cl’ battery.
Otherwise guarantee would, obtain as it does in tires.
7. The "60 day" clause seems a gamble on 60 days of
ignorance of purchaser before he find3 out a guarantee can be
had.
8. If man owns two cars of identical make, he cannot
take Ironclad from one car and pui in another, because serial
number of cars are different.
9 • The connections between cells of these Ironclads
corrode, as evidenced by experience with them by users. Who
renews these connectors?
10. ' Wood separators last only eighteen months maximum
in lead-sulphuric acid cells. Who pays for putting new sep¬
arators in? This entails dismantling cells and re-burning them.
11. Hard rubber jars are notoriously weak. Full of blew
holes, etc. What about cells that leak solution out while
charged, and thereby injured? Who pays this?
12., If you buy, say, a $50.00 tire, guaranteed. 3500 miles,
and return it to factory or agency at, say, 2000 ir.iles, with
desire to exchange toward new tire, because of worn indication
or blcw-out from flaw in construction, you are credited with
1500 miles, and charged with 2000 miles. For §21.4-4 you get a
new tire.
13. You buy set of Ironclads for, say, $600,00, No
capacity per charge is guaranteed at any time. Dells may drive
car only five miles per charge. Not "worn out" until they
refuse to drive car an inch. As long as you can get a fraction
of an inch per charge, it is up tc you to keep charging and
using.
14. V/hen battery is at last "worn out" it costs money
to burn apart., empty solution out, pack for shipment, and
pay freight..
15. Meanwhile, no maximum time for adjusting is stipulated,
and the company can take the remainder cf the three years to
consider the matter .
16. If you wish to exchange your Ironclad toward a
straight Exide , no provision made for credit.
17. 20,000 miles js at rate of IB wiles per day for
1095 days. The average of an electric pleasure car is 4B00 miles
j! per annum, or 13 miles per day. Therefore, a pleasure car will
;j not gc over 14,235 miles in three years, as a rule. 300 cycles
;j is supposed to be the life of a lead cell. Therefore, only
average of 47 miles Per charge. This shows they expect cells
I to lose capacity.
18. It is therefore apparent that all adjustments will be
i done on "time" basis.
19. Nothing is said about guarantee being based on
| directions being lived up to by the purchaser.
j| 20. This would seem tc indicate putchaser can abuse cells
| all he desires. A "worn out" battery will entitle him to get a
ij
|| new one - by paying more money.
|l
II
T]33T Oir SPECIAL IOHITIOH k RIGHTING BYIIAI-iO
TINE ARMATURE FIELD
10 A.M. 26° 26 0
10.30 A. K. 36° 32°
11. A. M. 41° 38°
50Ja overload at the end of one hour
52° 50°
COMMUTATOR
26°
30 0
40°
550
Hote that this machine should: not he run oon-
tinuoualy on more then full load. It oarried the 50jS overload
without any particular difficulty from sparking, end would
probably carry this overload on intermittent, duty without, serious
overheating.
dmb/bs
CHIEF ENGINEER,
Edison General File Series
1912 Battery, Storage - Federal Storage Battery Car Company
(E-12-16)
This folder contains correspondence and other documents relating to
the design, manufacture, and commercial promotion of battery-powered
streetcars produced by the Federal Storage Battery Car Co. Included is
correspondence with Frederick J. Usman concerning his marketing rights in
the United States and Canada. Also included are letters from Charles H.
Coffin of the General Electric Co. regarding a proposed meeting between
Edison and German metallurgist Ferdinand Heberlein. Other correspondents
for 1912 include Ralph H. Beach, president of the company, LeRoy Scott,
sales manager, and Edison’s personal representative, Miller Reese
Hutchison.
All of the documents have been selected except duplicates.
FEDERAL STORAGE BATTERY CAR COMPANY
BEACH CARS
EDISON STORAGE BATTERIES
SILVER LAKE. NEW JERSEY January 20, 1912.
Mr. Thomaa A. Edison, ,; i
Orange, H. J. -» •
Bear Mr. Edison:
The enclosed olippine does not refer to our oar.
Yours very
B/W
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
./
Ll I'ltiu
Ctiti A u'U /f n u t y /x-^A' ^
/KoX UjJt 0 Lmjlk AA{ CM
fb A.kroLL f<X^.A cP/'Aitu
' “cCt
January 23, 1912.
Mr. Edison, -
Mr, Beach has offered me a commission of ten
percent on the price of Beach Cars, minus Batteries, which
I am instrumental in selling.
I would, of course, endeavor to sell as many of
these cars as possible, to help out the Battery situation,
But have you any objection to my accepting this commission
of ten percent?
I have Been working pretty hard- for about a year
aad one-half now on the Basis of all outgo, and no income,
and while X am perfectly willing to wait for my proceeds
from Battery sales for Government purposes, I would like
to pick up a few dollars on Beacfc Car commissions, if you
have no objections.
Mr. Uharlea .Edison,
6 Louisburg Square
Boston , itaBBi
Before mailing the letter to
Underwood the other day, I talked with Seach,
hore at the laboratory, wno tells me he has
data showing schedule, receipts, expense or
operating, etc, of the car that was run on
the hatchling Branch for several montha las.
year. X therefore decided that it would he
better to go over this matter intelligently ,
before approaching Underwood, so have held up
my letter, pending receipt of this data from
Beach. He promised to send it over to me today
I will go over it thoroughly, and drop you a
note on the subject.
MRH/ABM
lehruary 1, 1912.
Riot. Jan. 31, 1912.
Mr. Uhackles Edison,
6 Louiehurg Square ,
Boston, Mass.
My dear Uharles,-
That North Jlewark-Paterson Branch prop¬
osition sounds good to me. I think it is a better game
than the West Orange- Pores t Hill Branch, because of the
congestion of freight on this latter road.
I am going to milk Beach dry on data, and
% communicate with several of the operating companies that
are purchasing Beach Oars in this vicinity.
having determined the length of the run,
maximum number of- alighting- (fad- taking On strops, cost for
current, etc., etc., I will then communicate with you.
■ : • . I donOt-thlnk- it would ; be a -wise plan to
approach Onderwoad in th>e flatter, until', we have determined
the physical conditions and pesoible sarnlng capacity of a
car on '-thie Branch. There is no doubt but that we will
have to pajr * rental for the privilege, and thin' will have
tob» fi gt«red lb rouraper»t trig expense. So,' until' we have
determined Just what the .physical conditions are, we can¬
not arrive at any conclusion .
AssTuming that the proposition- -is suffic¬
iently enticing, we can incorporate a little1 company , ,
between us, and borrow1 ns much' money on the oar and privil- '
ege as we can, the maximum amount sufficient to purchase
thC car/ -and iprCrlde' working caultal. By having the little
cottp^nj^%s limit bur personal obltgat4oiW ln: th»-wvent of
injury :to the passengers by accident <nr otherwise* ‘Oper-^
ating a street car is too hazardous an undertaking for ue
to conduct on a partnership basis, because we would each
be personally liable to the extent of a good many thousands
of dollars in the event of an accident.
I am going after this thing in earnest, be¬
cause I think if we are successful with this one car, we
-2-
<5an» the course of the next two or three years, build
up quite a substantial operating: company, and take In
:other branch roads.
I an rery sanguine of the future of the, car,
and am satisfied if we get into the game an* study it
properly, we will be able to build up a successful bus¬
iness .
•/' . 1 ■ ' ' •' ! ' ~~P‘'+rciHo*S
7 it thie North Newark Jiewatrk Btah'ch prop¬
osition goes properly, it Ought to be in shape for you
to take hold of when you come hone from college this
Summer. .
bet me hear from you often with any:
suggestions that, happen .to coiae to you,: and x wm :do
With best regards, X remain, 1
/ours sincerely.
leC^I
f"'
j,», hi- /W4, 6
^ ix-
Ui
//V-
ft, ~6-
^ .Hit. 'Itclcx.a.C cf'/<
Ui Co a-u. d&oj
“1
» , tc Vj
4£&<LC^ 6 <TUK I
•y , 3 "Co-a-ot-tU^
Sjc-* i) j uxOtU
"j A° Y ^ ^S5j. J
1-4 f HtCc-,^ /
r
li-y ■£ CL-ile^l^
February 7 , 1912 .
Mr. R. H. Poach , Bros if ant,
Federal 8 torn#* Battery Oar Oo.,
Silver Lake, M. .1,
Bear Ralph, -
I hare not as yet racelved reply
to the letter sent you from t ha Railroad in
tho v*SKt, which contemplates extending the
line f if taw miles, and using Beach Cars.
You ^epienibe’* that you we^e going to
write me precisely what to -write to these
people, and as it has been a week or ten days
since I sent the letter over to yon, I will' be
greatly obliged for a reply,
I wish you would sent r. competent
nan over to Mr . flushing, C/o Millet Roe and
Hagen, Bankers, of New York, so that he can-
take up the natter of explaining the Beach Car
to itr ■ Cushing . I have been tipped off by tho
vice-president of one of the Trust Companies
that this concern is financing a road in
•which they are going to use none form of power
ether than tho istm-dard over-head electric
system. 1 think there is a chance to get in
there, and do some good work.
You might mention that Mr. Ross of
the Commercial Trust Cempanv, Jersey Citv,
N. J., has suggested that you take up the
matter with them.
Yours sincerely,
Mr. John C. Curtis,
Huntington, Ind.
Sear Sir:
In reply to your request^ in regard to the operation of storage
battery oars driven with my batteries, I bog to say that the experience
in a number of cases has clearly shown that these oars are pract ical and
are cheaper to operate than the standard trolley oar. They are in operation
in a number of cities and towns throughout this country and have proven
themselves to be efficient, reliable and preferable to the trolley car.
You can easily satisfy yourself on this point by communicating with ary
or all of the people who have these cars in service.
Yours truly,
SCHEDULE OP APPROXIMATE COST OP ELECTRIC PLANT
_ AND EQUIPMENT. _
Power Plant 180,000 K.W. §13,500,000
Sub-stations, transmission lines,
distribution, third rail, track bonding, eto. 35,000,000
400 motor oars, equipped with 400 H.P.
each - 200 passenger locomotives, equipped
with 2200 H.P. each - 500 freight looomotiveB,
equipped with 1600 H.P. each 42,000,000
Changing signals 8,000,000
Total - exclusive of track ~
ohanges and structural ohanges ($98,500,000
The amount of power required for a 150 ton motor oar
train in local service 15 miles distance, in 50 minutes - 2,250
ton miles per trip. This at 70 watts per ton mile, would requirf
per train per trip, 157,500 Watt Hours, or an average load of 189
K.W. The maximum demand per train, might be kept down to about
1,000 K.W.
For a passenger locomotive, equipped with 2,200 H.P.
motors, the peat load would be about 3,000 K.W. and the average
power would be about 1,500 X.W., which in the oity limits might
last 20 to 30 minutes.
) The freight looomotive road engines, equipped with 1,600
H.P., would require maximum powers of about 2,000 K.W. at peak
loads, and average about 1,200 K.W.
-4 Swltohing locomotives, equipped with 500 H.P., would
require maximum powers of about 800 K.W. , and average probably
260 K.W.
If the power for the entire propulsion of all trains
within the oity, including motor oarB, passenger trains, freight
trains and switching, was supplied from a single oentral power
plant, the maximum load would probably be about 180,000. K.W.,
as stated above, and the maximum output for one hour, would pro¬
bably be about 160,000 K.W.H., as stated above, and the average
K.W.H. for three hours would probably be about 135,000 K.W, as
already stated.
If the above power was supplied by storage batteries
carried on the trains, it is probable that the ratio of the maxi¬
mum power (180,000 K.W. as above), to the sum of all of the maxi-
mums demanded of the storage batteries during the same hour, would
profratty be about 18# to 24#, and that during this hour probably
10# to 20# of the batteries would be out of service, due to idle
trains, or batteries beine charged, etc.
Ho allowanoe is made In the above power bouse loadB for
the power required to propel the batteries.
FEDERAL STORAGE BATTERY CAR COMPANY
BEACH CARS £
EDISON STORAGE BATTERIES q
SILVER LAKE, NEW^JERSEY February 19, 19121“
; ..V-
llr. Thomas A. Edison, C • j # j
orenee’iw* \
Uy dear Sir. Edison: V, AJr (VK C/®
You will find enoloseli^jiyrewith th^draft of a contract
which has been offered to us. This has come without solicitation
on our part. . It is such an unusual contract that I hesitated a
long time before submitting it to you. I am certain that on the
part of the bankers it is not a quick resolution, but is the result
of a carefully thought out plan by them. I wish you would take
time to read and digest it carefully.
If X understand the contract correctly, it meanB an
immediate order for about $100,000 worth of carB and about $30,000
or $40,000 worth of batteries. It also means the stamp of approval
upon our cars by a group of serious Jewish bankers. It moans the
enlisting on oiu- side of the men who in fact control the Third Avenue
Railway Company and a considerable portion of all roads in America.
It means the iranediate setting aside by them at least $100,000 in
money to be used in selling these cars. It seems reasonably probable
they they will carry out the contract in full, which if done, will
take all and probably more batteries than you can make for several
On the other hand it limitatUB-the scope of our work in a
upon the hankers.
After you think it over, I believe it will he clear to you
that we will pay a commission of 7 and 5/5 at different intervals.
That this, in fact is all we do pay. If we have to finance our own
orders, which we da now, we hove to pay 55? to the hankers and it
certainly costs us something to sell the cars, probably another 5$
anyway. By this contract wa^DOth for the first three yearB for 7?f5
and after that for 5/5 and at no t linear e we ever hard up for money.
excellent credit aB to selling 0114 would give ub a standing among the
looked
him up os carefully sb I could and he stands very high
as a Jewish hanker. You know how the Jewish holders are. They are
very clannish, and it is quite possible that J.isnian through his friend
Shiff , who really controls the Third Avenue Ry. could fcring the proper
pressure to hear on the present management to fordb the lead batteries
off the road. He already has an order for 10 cars for the Pennsylvania
•Htir theBa
R. R. vcrf- influence of this mSn is very strange. X suppose it comes
from their money. They are the ultimate buyer of securities. At any
rate they buy them and as the railroads want to sell them, they are in
an excellent xn*±±±±Bn position to dictate to the roads what kind of
apparatus they shall use. As a mattes of fact they do dictate to them.
I have wondered why Lisraan wants this contract. The only
answer that I can think of is that he ’.nows that he is in position to
dictate to the roads and he wants to make a profit out of that position
which this contract would permit him to do.
He is very anxious to close it up. Came over to see me yester¬
day and wanted to know if we could not close it up right away because
he was ready to buy a road and give us an order for 15 cars if we would
close up with him. I told him that X could not give him any encourgge
ment whatever but that I would submit it to you. Therefore , kindly
at your oar Host convenience go over thejfhing and let me know how you
feel about it.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
r - - - y
\
ASBE3IiDS3T
listed February 1912-
Lav/ Office a of
1,1. E. HARBY
#31 Hassau Street
Borough of Manhattan
Hew York City
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
A0HBSJO3HT, entered into till a day of
February, 1912, between the Federal Storage Buttery Car
Company, a corporation orRnnizod and existing under the
laws of the 3tate of Bow York, hereinuftoS referred to
aa the "Manufacturer" and F. J. Lin man & Company of the
Borough of Manhattan, Nov; York City, a copartnership,
hereinafter referred to as the "Bankers?.'-/ X If It N i> B u, f 1
WHB1U3A0 the Manufacturer in now guru Rod in
!| th0 manufacture and sale of self propelled cum running
| on rails propelled by Kdison Storage Batteries, and pur-
J suant to tho terms of an nRreement, a oopy of which is
hereto annexed, marked “A" ant) made a part hereof, has
the exclusive license to equip such cars with the Mdinon
l Storage Batteries, with any and all improvements thereon
||\r thereto which have been heretofore concoivod or adopted
or which may hereafter be dovinod for or in connection
with or application to vehicles propelled upon rails on
tho American continent
V/HBHBAB, in furtherance of the sale of ito
product the Manufacturer in solicitous of entering into
a contract with the Bankers to vost in thorn their nominees
or assiRneoo, for a period of five (ii) years from the
date hereof, the exclusive riRht. subject to the limita-^^
sell for tho Manufacturer <mf the Acws-ioan
tions hereof,
CW (L C
Sentiment all such ears equipped with said .-.di
CtoraRe
Batteries, manufactured, assembled or controlled by the
Manufacturer
jjO'.V, TH 3UKFOHB, THIS AGHEBiiKJIT V/ITUBSCKYHl
That in connidornition of the premises and the sum of one
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
dollar by each of tho parties to the other in hand pnid,
the rooeiut thereof la hereby acknowledged, and of tho
immediate purohaoe of sixteen (16) 3ench-lMison earn
of the general typo now being made whoso soiling orioo
ie about :'S000 . each or eight of the large care of the
Pon.nl tyoo now being made whoso polling price is about
MO, 000. each , tho detain of which will be duly net out J
in specif ioationo in tho unual form, the nartion hereto |
do hereby agree an follows: j
i| TnXfSi— The Unnufaoturor horoby Riven and
Lgrnnto unto the Bankers, their heirs, ox^outore. udminis- _
ij tratorn or assigns. for and during the period of five (S)
the date hereof, the exclusive general sulee
j] agency for the to acquire from the
| manufacturer, sell and market for use on rails, the
i| output liars' of^e factory and shops of the Manufacture^
[j us successors or assigns to the extent hereinafter pro-
11 vidod. or any other oar, controlled by the ! anufaoturer
'ij carrying Edison Storage Batteries of any other description.
3S4COKD:— The said cars fully equipped and
complete shall be sold and may bo purchased directly by
tho Bankers at a price which it is intended shall not
exceed the actual cost of production plus fifteen per
■ oont thereof. The term«Cost of production" shall comprise
cost of labor and material that enter into the manufacture
ancL_s^uipment of said cars, operating expenses and ex-
■ — ponses of the Manufacturer that fairly have to do directly
*th the conduct of its business including administration,
reasonable salaries and selling expenses (including the
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
amount referred to in Pur. 3 hereof); us it is oloar that
ouch expenses cannot bo definitely fixed in ndvanca it is
agreed that tho parties horoto shall on tho occasion of
orders for said cars bein« placed, fix tho orioe to be
charged therafor?vjhich they will endeavor to represent
and oovor said items and suid price then arid there fixed
|j shall bo final between them us applied to the particular
j! curs tho subject thereof; but in tho ovont of either of
|! the parties dlaanreeinR as to what is a fair prioo for
; said care or ns to whether tho orioo therefor sought to
;| bo fixed by either party nt any one time to be applied
j to any particular order is fair and proper arid in acoord-
!| nnce with the standard or measure of profit above set
forth, then and in that event resort will bo had to tho
jj books of the Manufacturer and any :uid all other data in
l! his possession for tho purposo of ascertaining whether
j| the prices fixed for the curs aeoord generally to the
j above standard.
THIRD:-- The Manufacturer covenants and Heroes
to p3y the Hankers tho follov/inR coinmi-'sions on all cars
: sold by the Manufacturer on tho_ /mtertcan^-Oontinent during
the period thereof and during the life of this contract
or the term within which this contract may remain in
force regardless of by whom the same may bo sold, nnd
expressly covenants, suarantees and nRroes that at no
time during the period hereof or the life of this contract
shall any of the output of the Manufacturer which is the
subject of this contract be directly or indirootly sold or
-3-
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
offered for sale by either of the parties hereto in said
territory at a price lees then that paid by the Hanker 3 :
On all ears 30ld during tho first throe years
of the life of this contract, thnt is to say the
time within whioh it may remain in force, a commission
to the "Bankers" of seven and one-half per cent (7-i^;.)
of tho selling priooj
On all oars sold from and after throe years
from the date hereof and until the termination of
this agreement, a commission to the Bankers of five
per cent (G'/J) on tho selling price.
i FOUHTH: _ The Bankers horoby accopt tho exclusive
ip
l selling agency vested in them hereunder and agree with the
!| Manufacturer to olaoe the follov/inij orders during the
period of .this'eontrnct, except as hereinafter otherwise
j provided, for cars generally knovm as the small cars
| -.hioh now sell for about 5S.OOO. each, subject to any
I changes ns to construction which tho Parties may agree to:
16 cars nor month durir
If this contract be '
for cars will be placed
t 1912
19 I'd
1914
191b
1916
:teadod the following orders
r the Bankers as a considera¬
tion for such extension:
70 oars
month during 1917
» -> 1918
» « 1919
lc0 « « “ 1920
100 " during each and every month for the
balance of tho term of such agreement.
r half as many of the type generally km
ar whioh now sells at about 510,000 per
jvvn as tho large
-4-
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
Any orders in excess of tho foregoing ouotn
placed by the Bankers in any one or more months, shall
to the extent of tho excess be credited to tho obligations
of the Bankers during the succeeding month or months.
Nothing heroin shall be construed to prevent the I.r.nufac-
turor from selling such cars on orders received from
others than the said Bankers.
The .Manufacturer covenants and agrees to
promptly fill nil orders pursuant to specifications and
the special agreements made ns to each order received
from or through the Bankers nnd make delivery thereof
7.0. B. faotory of the Manufacturer within ninety (90)
days of the receipt of such orders; said orders will
he made on forms comprising the terms in the form of
contract under which said ears are now sold attached
hereto marked n G 11 and shall provide for a preliminary
cash payment to the Manufacturer of at least twenty-five
nor cent (25)5) of the soiling price of the car or case
and equipment therain agreed upon.
The Manufacturer shall be obliged under the terms
hereof to accent and fill only such orders for said cars
on which advances of the selling price thereof shall bo
made by tho Bankers to the Manufacturer on its demand
in tho following amounts;
1/3 of the selling price on acceptance of ordor or
contract of sale
l/6 thirty days after date of said order or contract
of sale
l/C sixty dnys after date of said order or oon<.rnct
of solo
l/3 loss Bankers' commission upon presentation of bill
of lading covering shipment of the oar or oars
which nre the subject of said ordor or contract
of sale,
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
provided however thnt it least ten (10) days before the !
expiration of the -period at which the Manufacturer :any
require an advance, it Rive to the Bankers notice that j
ouch advance io required. Said advance may bo nude by j
oooninR a drawing account for tho I. anufucturer with tho
i firm of y. J. Li Oman & Company and by depositing the
amount of each advance somroquired with tho firm of
F. J. Li cmnn ft Gomoany in Mow York City in ouch account
to the credit of the Manufacturer who will check or draw j
afjninst snid account as may be necessary in the conduct
ij of ito business. j
I ifl l?Tir : — If default be made by tho banker o j
I and continue for n period of 'sixty (GO) days, in plncinR
ordere with tho Manufacturer for tho otinulnted number j
I of care for the year 1912 ao nrovidod herein, or if in
any year after tho year 1912 default ahull bo made by the
I Bonkers and continue for a period of ninety (90) days in
plnoinrc orders with the Manufacturer for tho monthly quota
j provided to bo placed durin-w the year subsequent to 1912,
| then and in that event the oxolueiva riprhts and all the
■ privileges hereby "ranted to the Bankers under tho terns
hereof shall be suspended for a period of 3ix (0) months
after notice to thnt effect in writing from the Manufactures
to the Bankers and during such period of suspension the
Bankers shnll not receive any commission on cars sold
by the Manufacturer but he shall have the rifjht to continue
to sell said cars and shall receive on such cars so sold
by him a commission of five per cent (5£) on the selling
-6-
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
price thereof find all orders plaood by tim shall be
I promptly filled as heretofore provided. IT at the expira-
i tion of such period of suspension the Bankers shall have
sold an aggregate number of cars equal to that required
it of thorn under the terms of this contract, they shall be
ji nt once reinvested with the exclusive selling agenoy for
the said cars for the balance of the period of this
I agreement and their full rights under this contract shall
; bo restored to them as though said default had not taken
place, subject however to nny future defaults by the
i, Bankers in tho sailing of said cars; but if the Hankers
□hull not have sold such Rr.avefsn.te then this contract
j shall thereupon terminate nt the option of the Manufacturer.
Buring the poriod of such suspension, however, the Manu¬
facturer agrees that no contract shall be entered into
vesting either exclusive or general selling agoncy in any
| other person, firm or corporation, and that it will not
sell any of its oars either directly or indiroctly ut a
| price substantially und materially loss than those pro¬
scribed heroin. It is understood that tho cnpuoifcy of
tho Manufacturer may exceed the ability of the Bankers
to sell and accordingly nothing heroin s’will oe construed
to prevent the i anufacturor from selling cars un to its
capacity providod the terns of sals herein proscribed
shall not be unusual amongst makers and purchasers of strae'.
and railway oars and the Manufacturer shall not attempt
to compete with tho bankers in selling said cars and shall
not sell them at a lower prioe.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
| SIXTH:— If the iinnufaoturer should at any
j| time arbitrarily refuse to deliver the oars, ordered by
|j the Bankers within t>io time hereinspocifiod, the obllga-
|i tiona of the Sankara to place the monthly orders as herein
jj provided shall abate so long as snirt refusal by the iian-
! ufacturor shall continue, and the Manufacturer shall and
j will roimburso the Bnnkers to the extent of any and all
|[ expenses incurred by the Bankers in securing said orders
i plus the commission on the oare which form the subject
rf such refusal by the Manufacturer. Hut this clause
does not apply to a failure tommnko such deliveries for
! reasons not under the reasonable oontrol or ability or
j within the oapaoity of the plant or equipment of the
| Manufacturer.
oHVBNTH : — Payments for cars ordered unless
jj made at the request of the Manufacturer as heretofore
provided shall be made to the Manufacturer within ten
j (10) days after presentation of bills of lading, deducting
from the selling price, determined as hereinbefore provided,
i Hankers * commission and any other advance or outlay in*
|j currod or to bo incurred by the Bankers in connection
therewith under the terms hereof.
3IQHTH:— The obligation of the Hankers ao
herein provided, to place monthly orders for car9, shall
Air
be waived and ?ikq obligation to pay for car3 ordered
shall be suspended during any period of financial or
businese depression, crisis or stringency, and whenever
the existence and sontinuanoo of a condition warranting
-B-
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
!i 3U0h waiver and suepeneion shall bn In doubt or dispute
(between the purtioo hereto, the question shall bo
I arbitrated by the appointment by each party hereto of
| nn arbitrator bjnothbnll be an officer of a Trust Company
j or notional Bank situated in the Borough of Manhattan,
! city of Mew York. If the two arbitrators eo appointed
ore unable to a«ree, they shall appoint a third arbitrator,
| and the decision of a majority thereof shall be bindin*
and conclusive upon the question submitted and na to
the time .hen the obligation to plaoe orders shall be
: resumed and payment shall be made for the cure thcroto-
ij fore ordered, and the Txrrtioe hereto do hereby a^ree to
and with each other to abide by the determination of the
I arbitrators so appointed.
4r,
HIM'fH: — Any and all literature and advertis-
lnB .ntt.r r.qulr.d W «o ■>«““"* “ r“rt”” "" “0l°1*
tatlon and ,al« «t <"« «•” ’tal1 W t“
■W.oturor at coot an. tb. "»11 "”l’t
tb. dnnb.r. in .»w w no.aibla .ItMn tb. »"a
tbo oanufaotnr.r to iatroduoo.
i| .front tv, .ala of .nab onto. Bno.ntlnB tb, bulldim, of
\ „„„ forni.binn of nnnnratno and doUv.rinn -»
! oar. or onn>ratuo, do.on.tration. of »W oar. and
aoonratu, «.U b. -d. by t». »»afnotur.r .itbnut ox-
„„„„ to th, Bnnb.ra, but .boll M obar»d «Wt "nd
,b„ll for. on. of tb. oxnonoo, of tbo nunufootorln* bu.l-
to >. t.b.» «to o.n.ldor.tlon in M« tbo .not of
horolnobovo pro.id.d. »■> «■> fnnufaotur.r -boll
rin oncb on,. *.« -.1. •• =»«■ *“
-9-
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
r.nrt running of said cure for a period of ninety (90) dnyo
after tho said oars are put in operation, find for thin
purpose tv>o Bankers ore hereby authorized and ompoworod
and vested with full authority to execute in bohalf and
in the name of the :.lanu££cturor a Ruarantoo, in each and
evory case whoro n sale in wide by him to tho extent
herein contemnlntod.
TKHTU : -- The Knnufacturer further covenants
and agrees that it hns the full and unrestricted ri r-ht
and orivilefie to ftrant unto the Bankers the exclusive
rights hereby granted and that it will not, investor the
t\o/| 'luX*. |ta.T<-'a*/Cysi.f OwAM-et-H "us C..,w,£3CtT
purposes hereof, prant to othors^durintf the life of this
contract the rircht to manufacture, assemble or deal in,
directly or indirectly, said oars or batteries, and it
will not directly or indirectly, fcrant to any one^ny
shop rights, licenses, sub-licenses, nri vilcflos,- riRoncios
or other rights under its aforesaid lioeneo, or under any
other license or patent or patents affoctinn said type
T"of '(batteries* or cars, or enter into any contract hhoreby
•' —-'S'
the exolusivc agency of the Banka ra^tnay or will be in any
'if manner interfered with, diminished or lessened.
Tho Manufacturer further covenants and agrees
that it will at its own expense institute, or cause to bo
instituted, suit by injunction, or otherwise, to onforoe
and maintain the exclusive rights Rrantod hereunder to
tho Bankers, and will pay over to tho Bankers any and nil
net damages recovered by it in sue)* suit or suits, or
otherwise, in reimbursement of any lossnor darr.aRO suffered
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
by the Bunkers by reason of any illegal intorfiSconoo with
or the diminution of hie sales by reason thereof, und in
nny notion or notions so instituted by the Manufacturer,
the Bankors shall have the right to bo represented by
Counsel of their own selection.
jJLiiVKMTH:-- The Manufacturer further covenants
/nn<i Guarantee e\ th n t the Bankers shall riot by any act of
I tho^KSnuf ac turor bo disturbed in their sales of said enro
it-hy litigation bused upon any advorse claims under patents
j| nffectin.- said cars or batteries, or both, and will, at
>wn expense, dofond all suits or proceedings insti-
|j tuted against the Bankers or their customers for Jnfringe-
ment of any patent by the use or sale of said ours or
batteries, provided the Bankers or their customers yivo
j to the Manufacturer prompt notice in writing of the in-
I stitution of the suit or proceeding and permit^ the
|l Manufacturer to defend tho sumo, and givo^all needed
I information, assistance and authority to onnblo the
I Manufacturer to do so.
j.,- TWiJWTH : — Upon notice in writing to the ikmu-v
/j facturer six (6) months prior to the expiration of this
I j! contract, the same shall be renowed and extended for a
further period of five (6) years, provided that at the
time such notice is served tho Bankero, or their asoigns.
shall not be in default in the performance of their
obligations hereunder. Such renewal shall be upon tho
same terms, conditions provisions and privileges herein
provided, excepting that during such renewal period the
-11-
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
Banker, shall be required to place ordara for tho number
of can nor month an provided in paragraph ?OUUTH.$n tho
nruna terms tba flankers nhnll be entitled to furthar
renewal* of five yearn each except thnt the monthly ordara
that they will be required to since nhnll ba equivalent
At leant to thair monthly anion during n neriod of five
(f>) yearn prior to the nervine of nuoh notice of intontion
to renew.
U'llIH'i'iCtiU'i’H:— 1‘urnuant to the oblip?itionn of
j the Bankers they do hereby a*roo aimul.tAneoualy
| with the execution of thin contract to deliver to the
I Manufacturer order* for nixtoan (16) of the ornnll type
|! of car Whom* manufactured or aifiht (8) of the lnrBe c
|j 310,000 typai^^^^ifioationn hereto attached
,,Meh ,hail be accredited to the firnt two months of the
I term of thin contract.
VCUHTTJ-lli’i'li : _ Thin agreement shall be binding
anuretto the benefit of the Manufacturer, itn
, and n-niimh end to the Bankers, their Heirs,
executory, administrators
■; If thin oontraot be terminated by
|j rennon of a default on the part of the Bankers, the Uankcrn
!| may however continue to obtain cam at the contruot plica
I provided for herein; the commission provided for will ba
| paid but only on the earn ordered by or through the Bonkers
inntead of on the entire output of the Manufacturer. If
however the flanker, commit no default with respect to this
I agreement the commission provided for herein in to be paid
-12-
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
fl****. (^Y M _
on jthe Manufacturer whether or not ir*
oroduct be 'sold by or through the Hankers. The orders
credited to the Hankers under this agreement shall not
include orders
during the tors
thereon.
IM -bl\^
iot obtained through or from than although
of the contract they rocoivo a commission
UI.Vi'BBMTIi:— The-awi s*»w~<
>1fll rfl1
i n>»e-onntf StWlT '^h'r-'thb~’^ .
jH v.Ti'HIJGS Y/HUHHOI' The Manufacturer has caused
this agreement to be signed by its President and attested
by its Secretary pursuant to the authority of it3 Joaid of
Directors, and the Hankers have signed and affixed their
seal the day and year first above written.
W4USRAL DVD HAG;; 3ATTP.HY OAK COVdV'nf
Attest:
ny
Secretary
S’. J. LI DMAS & COUP AllY
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
SILVER LAKE. NEW JERSEY Fab. 26, 1912.
ilr. li. R. Hutchinson,
o/o Kdison Storuge Battery Company,
Orange, H, J.
Ify dear Hutchinson:
February 27, 1912.
Mr. R. H. Beach,
federal Storage Battery Oar Company,
Silver lake, J.
My dear Ralph, -
I have your letter of the twenty-sixth
instant .
I tlo not see that it is really worthwhile
attempting to do anything with Beach Cars unless I can get
some data, and have ny letters answered more promptly.
Notwithstanding your having promised me
over ten days ago that you would get me a reply to the
letter from the man in the 'tfest. , v»ho hue written me sev¬
eral times, asking for a reply to his communication, I
have not received a word from you on the subject.
I also sent down 3ovoral sheets sihich
were copied from the blurred sheet furnished me, show¬
ing the number of Beach Cars in operation, and where.
The sheet you furnished wan so indistinct that I did not
want to trust to having read it correctly, and therefore
forwarded you the copies X had made for verification. I
haven't received that back yet.
I wanted to use this data in some of the
advertising I am planning, which includes twenty-nine
weekly publications. Of course, if you don't want me to
do it, I will leave it out. But if you do want me to do
it, it will be necessary to have some data to do It on.
Yours sincerely,
FEDERAL STORAGE BATTERY CAR COMPANY
BEACH CARS
EDISON STORAGE BATTERIES
statonont of oars In oporati on, in courso or const notion
execution of contract. Pr;c pardon tho delai'.
March 2, 1912.
Mr. Edison, -
Something is the matter with Beach. About a
month ago, I received a letter from a prominent rdilroad
man in the West, asking for full details, prices, etc. of
battery cars. They anticipate extending their railway
fifteen miles, and want to consider Beaoh Oars. I wrote,
asking for details as to grades, etc. Received them prompt¬
ly. Took the whole thing down to Beach, as per his suggest¬
ion over the telephone. Notwithstanding a number of promises
to get the information to me the next day, I am still with¬
out it. Meanwhile, the man in the West has written repeat¬
edly, asking for some information. In each case I have
called up Beach, but to no avail.
I have a letter from Monnot, dated Paris, Feb¬
ruary 20th, as follows:
"I have been writing several times to Beach, and
have had no answer. I don't know what this means, as iehhas
promised to send me full information and drawings of hiB
storage battery cars, so that I might' develop business here.
I was to pay him a small royalty on the cars built here, for
the information supplied. I believe he has some other scheme
up his svelte., but he ought to let me know frankly what
he wants. Yes or no is all that I want. I can have the
car builders here develop Edison Storage Battery Oars, but
I prefer to work with him, as it would have moved probably
faster. X am writing him today, urging him to give me an
answer, and I wish you would find out what is the matter
with him. If he does not wish to work with me as agreed,
all well and good, hut I must know it as soon as possible.
I would like to have all the data possible on the battery
oars, and Mr. .Edison has promised to let me have a duplicate
of the book on same that Beach had prepared for him when
he came to Europe, and which he left with Bergmann. It would
he useful to me to approach the street tramway and railroad
people. There is a scheme here to electrify the suburban
trams of the great railroads here, and there is ahance for
getting storage battery cars in. Bor this reason, I am anxious
to get all the data available with photos and plans, if
possible
I suggest that you write Beach a letter about
Monnot, and ask him what about the information he promised
me on that railroad in the West. Bo not send this memorandum.
Hutoh.
JiLirch 4, 1912.
Mr . LeHoy Scott, SUhb Manager,
.Federal Storage Battery Car Co,,
Silver Lake, N • J/
Bear So6tt,-
I :
i yours of the first at last.
X have not- yet received reply to ray
letter ricking for details, sixes of cars, etc.
to meet the requirements of that Western road
that wants tc "build fifteen additional miles,
to be equipped with Beach cars.
Ur. Edison asked me yesterday if I
had heard from you in the matter, and 1 had to
reply in the negative. He wanted to know what on
.Barth is the matter, as ha is naturally interested
in seeing this road put through. 1 told him that
I had ’written a number of letters on the sub¬
ject, but have no reply yet. He suggested that
I write you again, eta ting that he will appre¬
ciate it very much if you will get we an immed¬
iate reply to ray letters.
Yours
sincerely.
Chief engineer to Mr. J5dis<
MRH/ABM
March 11, 1912.
Mr. Cushing,
o/o Millet Roe and Hagen, Bankers ,
33 Wall Street, Hew York City.
Dear Sirs
Mr. Ross of the Com orolnl Trust Company of Jersey City,
too suggested that wo take up with you the question of Beaoh-Kdisan
oars to be used on a road which you are financing.
Under separate cover we ore sending you a set of literatnre
and be g to attach hereto a data sheot, which we would thank you to
have your engineers fill in as much as possible.
Also beg to advise that the writer will be glad to call on
you at sufih tire and place as you may name to explain this proposition
to you in detail. However, you will probably find a visit to our
factory and to the Edison Laboratory of great interest and this is to
very cordially invito you to favor is with such a visit accompanied
if possible by your engineers, at which timo we would be pleased to
have you exanine our method of production and operation, both of the
oars and batteries. • ■
We beg to enclose herewith a very good description of the
Edison Battery in comparison in traction work of this new battery with
the old iype of lead acid battery. We are at your service.
fours tr nly,
Sales Manager.
P.S. Haqy of the most important railroads have Beach cotb already in
operation or under construction.
Eno. Bui. 15. d/s
V
Among tho orders which ha has given t,n us are two oars for
□team railroad, service for demonstration corn. This is fine.
He mints to call his Company the Hdisc n-3oach Battery Car Co.,
or the Beach-Hdison Battery Car Company, either one. I told }jim I had no
authority whatever to authorise him to use thin name, hut that Iwould write
to you aid if you racmsd: agreed, X was agroed. X explained to him how you had
always objected to the use of your name , hut that X thought it possible in
view of the earnestness with which he tad taken ahold of. this and the hi#i
typo of men who were interested in it, and that it was not a stock-jobbing soheme
that you might glye, your consent. I don't think Lisnan wants to use your
name for any other reason then thiB. These oars wi{Kout any effort on your
part of nine, I believo, have become known alnoct all over tho world as
Edi son-Beach cars and if via allow this proposed Company to use that none it would
be of material advantage to than in identifying them with tho business. I w ish
upon receipt of this letter you would telegraph ns your decision. If you docide
to allow Lisnan to use the name, simply telegraph "Yes". If you do not, tele¬
graph "Ho" , and I will understand what you mean.
1. A.3. -3.
Soma of it in dispute: soma of it for rent.
Hot/ as a natter of fact, none of this is old, except the Hew Castle
oar, which is about two months old. It v/aa a now typo of oar wliich we had to
experiment with. Icould have paid this particular account long ago had I
taken the monop from the solo of stock, which X could have sold, hut which X
didn't.. I thought it was hotter hot to sell the stock and owo you a little
longer. It is perfectly safe and will he paid as above stated on Monday
when wo will pay for the hat ter;'.
Hot/ I have really done all I can with Phillips. He seems to
have it in his mind that wo aro trying to defraud you. Whether he really
thinks so or not of course I really don's know, hut that iB apparently his idea.
His manner is very -unfriendly and I don't like to go to him. Hot that I really
care very much about it, hut we ore trying to build up a business here in a
sound, healthy way. Don't w ant any ling tine credit and it seems to me if you
just passed a hint along to Phillips to not he quite so "fussy" those tilings
would go along a good deal smoother. Kindly do the necessary thing.
In addition to the above accounts, thero is one I forgot
to mention. Shore is one of $1800 I owo personally, which I can soon arrange
to pay. I don’t like to say just when hut I don't believe it will he over
60 days. I can say t.o you this, that if I had a customer who was so uniformly
prompt in payments to us an we have been to your company, X would not have
the nerve to kick. Kindly do the necessary tiling, and oblige
Yours veiy truly,
Pres i dent .
Enclosure.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
I!
A entered into this
day Of March, 1912, between the FiOJKRAI. STORAGE BATTERY CAR
COMPACT, a corporation organ! ted and existing under the Lav;^
of the State or Mow York, hereinafter referred to ae the
".Manufacturer" and E. J. LISfc'AH & CO. of the Borough of
Manhattan, Hew York City, a oo-partnerohlp, hereinafter
referred to as the "hankers",
SI£ILS£.S^1- :
WHEREAS the Manufacturer is now engaged in the
manufacture and sale of self-propelled cars running on
rails and propelled hy Edison Storage retteries, and
possesses certain rights under an agreement which in to
ho defined in a resolution of the Board of Biroctors of
the Edison Storage Battery Company, (a copy of which will
he hereto annexed, marked "A" and made a part hero of) hy
virtue of which the Manufacturer has oortain rights rela¬
tive to the use and sale of Edioon Storage Battorles, as
| applied to vehicles propelled upon rails in the United
States of America and Canada, and
WHEREAS the Manufacturer is engaged in the manu¬
facture of oortain oars known as Beach cars, to he pro¬
pelled upon rails in connection with devices which are the
subject of patent applications referred to in the Schedule
hereto annexed and marked "B" and hereby made part hereof,
and
WHEREAS in furtherance of the sale of its product,
j the Manufacturer is solicitous of entering into a contract
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
with tho Bankers to vest in them, their nominees, or
assigns, for a certain period, tho exclusive: right, sub-
Joot to the limitations hereof, to sell for tho Manufac¬
turer, in the United States of America, and Canada, such
care equipped with said Edison Storage Batteries, manufac¬
tured, assembled or controlled by the Manufacturer,
HOW, THEREFORE, THIS AGREEMENT WITNESSETH s
That in consideration of the promises and of the butt, of
One dollar by oaoh of the partios to the other in hand
J paid, the reooipt whereof is horoby acknowledged, and of
| the immediate purchase of sixteen (10) equipped cars of
j the general type now being made by the Manufacturer, whose
soiling price is about five thousand ($5,000) dollars
each, or eight (8) of the large oars of the general typo
l now being made by tho Manufacturer, whoso selling prico
| is about ten thousand($10,000) dollars oaoh, tho details
I
of which will be duly sot out in tho specifications in
the usual form, tho partioe hereto do hereby agree as
follows:
FIRST: The Manufacturer horoby gives and grants
|i unto the Bankers, thoir hoirs, executors, administrators
I
or assigns, for and during the period of five years from
the date hereof, and for and during the period of any
extension of this agreement, the exclusive general sales
agency for tho United States of America and Canada, and
the right to acquire from tho Manufacturer, soil and
market the output of otorugo battery cars of the factory
and shops of the Manufacturer, its successors or assigns,
with all improvements thereon to tho oxtent hereinafter
-2-
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
provided, or any other cars of any deooription running on
rails and controlled by the Manufacturer and operated by
Edison Storage batteries, subject to the terms and limi¬
tations hereof.
SEC OKB; The said cars, fully equipped and complete,
may bo sold for the account of the Manufacturer or may bo
sold to and may bo purohaoed directly by the Bankers at a
price which it is intended shall bo equivalent to and
shall not exceed the actual cost of production and equip¬
ment thereof, plus fifteen per cent (lfi^) thoreon. The
term "oost of production" shall comprise the oost of labor
and material, that ontor into the manufacture and equip¬
ment of said ears, operating expanses and expenses of the
manufacturer that fairly have to do directly with the oon-
duot of its business, relating to the manufacture of cars
which are the oubjoct of this contract, including admin¬
istration, reasonable salaries and selling expenses (in¬
cluding the amount referred to in paragraph Third hereof);
as it i 8 clear that such expenses cannot be definitely
fixed in advjinoe, it is agreed that the parties hereto
shall on the oocaeion of orders for said cars being placed
from time to time, fix the price to be charged therefor,
which they will endeavor to fix at an amount which shall
represent and cover said items; said price then and there
fixed shall be final between them as applied to the par¬
ticular cars which are the subject thereof; but in the
event of the purtlos disagreeing as to what is a fair
prloo for said carB, or as to whether the price therefor
sought to bo fixed by either party at any one time and to
-3-
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
be applied to any particular order is fair and proper and
in accordance with the otandard or measure of prico above
sot forth, then and In that event, the Bankers shall have
resort to tho books and papers of ths Manufacturer and
any and all other data for the purpose of ascertaining
whether the prlcos fixed for tho cars acoord generally to
the above standard.
THIBP : The Manufacturer covenant e and agrees to
pay to the Bankers, tho following commissi on3 on all
Storage Battery Cars Bold by tho Manufacturer, in tho
United States of America and Canada, during tho term within
which this contract may remain in force, that is, during
the term within which thoro bo no default as to tho con¬
ditions hereof by the Bankers, whether said oars ura oold
by or to the Bankers or by or through trio Manufacturer:
On all Storage Battery Cars sold by ths Manufacturer
during tho first, three years of tho Ufa of this contract,
that is to say, the time v/ithin which it may remain in
force, a commission to the Bankers of seven and one-half
(7 l/2<) nor cont of tho selling price;
On all Storage Battery Cars 3Cld by the Manufacturer
for and after three years frem the date hereof and until
tho termination of this agreement, a commission to the
Bankers of five (6?0 per cent of tho selling price.
The parties hereto expressly covenant, guarantee
and agree that at no time during the period hereof or the
life of this contract Bhull any of the Storage Battery
Cars be directly or indirectly sold- or offered for sale
by either of the parties hereto in said territory at
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
price leas than that quoted therefor to the Rankers, nor
ahull the same he Bold upon terms more favorable than those
quoted to the Bankers, except by opoolal agreement.
FOURTH: The Bankers hereby acoept the exclusive
selling agency vented in them hereunder, and said exclu¬
sive agency shell continue during the period of this con¬
tract, and excopt as hereinafter otherwise specified, so
long as the Bankers shall placo the following orders for
oquipped storage battery cars.
15 ears per month for the remaining months during
1912, boginning April, 1912.
14 cars per month during 1913.
16 " « " “ 1914.
18 " " " " 191ii.
20 '• » " " 1910.
An order for tho five thousand ($6,000) dollar typo
of said car now generally known as the small oar, ahull bo
| considered tho unit in determining the number of oars
j ordered or to be ordered and where a tan thousand ($-10,000)
dollar car is ordered or sold, this shall be considered
an order or sale of two oars undor this agreement.
If the Bankers shell bocome entitled to a renewal
of this contract, pursuant to tho terms hereof, the ex-
i elusive selling agency shall continue during such renewal
period so long as the Bankers shall from time to time dur¬
ing such renewal period place orders for the following
number of oars of tho type or types as herein specified.
22 cars per month during 1919.
24 0 B " - 1918.
26 " " " " 1919.
26 " “ " " 1920.
26 " during each and every month for the
balance of the term of such agreement.
Nothing herein contained shall be construed to
-6-
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
limit tho Bankers in selling or ordering the numbor of oarts
hereinbefore referred to, or as preventing thorn from call¬
ing and receiving commissions upon additional oars cold
by or through them pursuant to the terms of this contract,
excepting tho capacity of the plant or equipment of the
Manufacturer.
Any orders in excoss of tho foregoing quota placed
by or through the Bankers in any one or more months, shall
to the extent of the excess, he credited to tho orders
provided herein to ho pluoed by the hankers during the
succeeding month or months. Nothing herein shall bo con¬
strued to prevent the Manufacturer from selling such type
or types of cars or any oars on orders received from
others than the Bankers, and orders reoeived from others
not the Bankers and not duo directly to the interposition
or effort of the Bankers shall not be considered as part
of the quota herein fixed for tho Bankers to sell in order
to secure tho compensation herein provided for. The
Bankers, however, shall be entitled to the payment; of the
E zujtfad.
commissions hereinbefore provided on all^cars sold by the
Manufacturer which are to bo used in connection with
Edison Storage Batteries and propelled cn rails in tho
United States or Canada. The aoceptanco of any auoh
orders, however, shall in no way interfere with tho prompt
filling of the orders placed by the Bankers with tho Manu¬
facturer, and tho Bankers shall have a preferential call
to the extent of tho orders so jjlaood by tho Bunkers upon
the output or capacity of the factory of tho Manufacturer,
but it is not intended that tho Manufacturer shall refuse
-6-
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
or fail to deliver euro pursuant to agreements mud e and
executed or propositions accepted.
Tho Manufacturer covenants and agrees to promptly
fill all orders pursuant to specifications and the special
agreements made as to each or dor received from or through
the Bankers and make delivery thereof lf, 0, B, factory of
the JJanufucturor, within ninety (90) days after tho re¬
ceipt of such orders, unless otherwise specifically agreed
between the purchaser and tho Manufacturer. The said
orders will he made on forms defining the terms of oalo
and specifications in the fern of the contract under which
the said cars arc now sold, a copy of which, er.oopt as to
terms and specifications is attached hereto, marked ”C”
and shall provido, except where the Bankers are the pur¬
chaser, for a preliminary cash payment by the purchaser
therein named to tho Manufacturer of at least twunty-fivo
per cent (25,^) of the soiling price of tho car or oars
and equipment therein agreed upon, unless a specific
agreement for different terms shall be xnade.
The Manufacturer shall bo obliged, under the terras
hereof to accept and fill only those orders for said oars
and equipment placed with it by tho TJ&nkera on which ad¬
vances of tho selling price thereof shall bo made to the
JJanuf aeturerj if and so long ob the Manufacturer be not
in default with respect to any order for care plaood with
it by tho Bankers the placing of any order by the Banker e
and tho acceptance thereof by the Manufacturer shall bo
taken as a consent and agreement that said advances on
account of tho order so placed and accepted be made in the
following amounts!
-7-
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
l/3 of the selling price remaining to ho paid
•by the purchaser. 8n acceptance of order,
l/e of the Balling price remaining to be paid
thirty days after date of said order or con¬
tract of sale.
l/6 of the selling price remaining to be paid
sixty days after dato of such order or con¬
tract of sale.
l/3 of the oelling prioe remaining to bo paid
less Bankers commission upon presentation of
bill of lading covering shipment of the oar
or caro which are the subject of eaid order
or contraot of sale,
provided, however, that at least ton days before the time
at which the Manufacturer may require an advance it give
to the Bankers notice that, ouch advanoe is .required.
Where said Bankers shall make a direct purchase of
cars for their own account, the purolmse price shall bo
paid as follows:
1/3 thereof on acceptance of order or oontraot
of sale.
l/6 thirty days after date of said order or
contract of sale.
l/6 sixty days after dato of said order or
contract of sale.
1/3 loss Bankers' commission upon the proson-
tation of bill of lading, covering shipment
of the car or cara which arc the oubjoct o.t
said order or contract of sale.
Such advances may be made by opening a drawing
account for the Manufacturer with the firm of F. J. bisman
& Co. at its How York or principal office, and by deposit¬
ing the amount of each advance so required with the firm
of F. J. T.isman & Co. in Hew York City in ouch account to
the oredit of the Manufacturer who will chock or draw
against said account as may bo necessary in the conduct of
its business. Where advances for the account of any of
the purchasers of said oars are made by the Bankers, the
contract of sale, with roepeet to which the advance may so
be made by the Bankers, if oaid contraot be executed by
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
anyone other Shan the Bankers, shall he assigned to the
Bankers, as security for the return to the Bankers of said
advances so made.
FIFTH: If default ho trade hy the Bankers and
continue for a period of sixty (GO) days, in placing
orders with the Manufacturer for the stipulated number of
cars for the year 1012 as providocl heroin, or if in any
year after the year 1012 default shall he made hy the
Bankers and continue for a period of ninety (90) days in
placing orders with the Manufacturer for the monthly quota
provided to ho placed during the yoar subsequent to 1912,
then and in that event the exclusive rights and all the
privileges hereby granted to the Bonkers under the terms
hereof shall he suspended for a period of six months after
notice to that effect in writing from the Manufacturer to
the Bankers and during such period of suspension the
Bankers shall not rocoivo any commission on cars sold by
the Manufacturer without the diroot aid of the Bankers,
hut said Bankers shall have tho right to continue to soil
or huy said cars and shall rocaive on ouch cars when sold,
or bought hy them, a ccmr.iosion of five per cent on tho
soiling price thereof , and all orders placed hy thorn shall
ho promptly filled as hereinbefore provided. If at the
expiration of ouoh period of suspension the Bankers shall
have sold or bought an aggregate number of oars oqual to
that required of them under tho terms of this contract,
then tho sale or purchase of such required number of oars
shall he and is hereby considered as a re-investmont in
thorn of tho exolusivo selling agency for tho said cars
-9-
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
for tho talar, oe of the period of this agrosmont and of
thoir full righto under this contract, including the right
to acramissions at the rates hereinbefore provided, on all
oars sold by the Manufacturer as though said default had
not taken pi ao o , subject, however , to any future defaults
by the hankers in tho ualo of said oars; but if tho
Bankers shall not havo sold or purchased such aggregate
number of ours, then this contract shall thereupon bo
terminated at tho option of the Manufacturer upon written
notice to thu Bankers. During the period of auoh tempor¬
ary suspension, however, the Manufacturer agrees that no
contract shall be entered into by it vesting either tho
exclusive or general selling agency in any other person,
firm or corporation, and that it will not soli any oars
identical with those purchased or sold by tho Bankors,
either directly or indirootly at prices loss than those
quoted to tho Bankers or upon more favorabls terms. Tt is
understood that the oapaoity of the Manufacturer may ex¬
ceed the ability of the Bankers to soil, and accordingly
nothing herein shall be construed to provent tho 5<anu-
fucturer through its own efforts or by employing agents or
salesman from soiling oars up to itB capacity, provided
the sailing price of suoh oars shall not bo loos, or tho
terras more favorable than those quoted to tho Bankers,
end provided further, that tho Bonkers shall be entitled
to their commissions on any such sales ao if the sales had
been made by or through said Bankers but said sales shall
not be credited to the Bankers as a part of the quota to
be sold by thorn in order to entitle thorn to tho compen¬
sation and privileges heroin provided for. The Manufacture
-10-
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
however, shall not attempt to, or actually compete with
the Bankers in selling said cars,
Neither the hankers, thoir hairs, exaoutoro, admin¬
istrators or assigns, shal} in any event he liable for
damages to the Manufacturer, its successors or assigns,
for failure to place orders for the number of cars herein
specified; and the right of the Manufacturer, its ouoooeo-
oro and assigns to suspend said exclusive agency or to
terminate this contract shall he the solo and exclusivo
remedy of ths Manufacturer, its successors and assigns,
for tho failure on the part of the Bankers, their heirs,
executors, administrators and ussigns to place orders for
such number of cars,
SIXTH: If tho Manufacturer should at any timo
fail to deliver the cars, ordered by the Bankers v/ithln
the time heroin specified, tho obligations of the Bankers
to place the monthly orders as herein provided shall abato
so long as said failure to deliver by the Manufacturer
shall continue, and the Manufacturer shall and will re¬
imburse tho Bankers to the extent of any and all expenses
incurred by tho Bankers in securing said ordors plus the
commission on tho cars which form tho subject of such
refusal by the Manufacturer. But this clause does not
apply to a failure to make suoh deliveries for reasons
net under the reasonable oontrol or ability or within the
oapaoity of the plant or equipment of tho Manufacturer,
or 0x0 opted in the individual contracts of the Manufacturer
for tho sale and delivery of suoh cars.
-11-
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
SEVENTH ; Payments for cars ordered , unless made
at the request of the Manufacturer as heretofore provided,
or otherwise fixed by special agreement, oh all he made to
the Manufacturer within ten (10) days after presentation
of hille of lading, deducting from the selling prico,
determined as hereinbefore provided, bankers ' commit! si on
and any other advance or outlay incurred or to he incurred
by the Bankers in connection therewith under tho terms
hereof.
EIGHTH: During any period of extraordinary finan¬
cial or buoinoas depression, crisis or extraordinary
stringency, the Bankers shall not bo required to order or
to pay for any cars, provided such depression, crisis or
stringency shall so affect tho business of tho country as
to moke it unreasonable to expoot the Bankers to proceed
hereunder during cuoh period and whenever the existence and
continuance of a condition warranting Buch waiver and sus¬
pension shall bo in doubt or dispute between the parties
hereto, the question shall bo arbitrated by the appoint¬
ment by each party hereto of an arbitrator who shall be
an officer of a Trust Company or national Bank situated
in the Borough of Manhattan, City of Hew York. If the two
arbitrators so appointed are unable to agree, they shall
appoint a third arbitrator, and the decision of a majority
thereof shall be binding and conclusive upon the question
submitted and as to the time when the obligation to plaoo
orders shall be resumed and when the payments 3hall bo
made for the oars theretofore ordered, und the parties
hereto do hereby agree to and with each other to abide by
-12-
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
I the determination of the arbitrators so appointed.
TTIPTH; Any and all literature and advert i sing
Latter required hy the Bankers to further the exploitation
and sale of the cars shall he furnished hy the Manufacturer
at cost and the Manufacturer shall assist the hankers in
every way possible within the ability and moans of the
Manufacturer to introduce, demonstrate and effect the sale
I of such cars, excoptine the building of cars and furnlsh-
| mg of apparatus and delivering said cars or apparatus;
' said exception demonstrations of said cars and ap¬
paratus shall be made by the Manufacturer without expense
! to the Bankers, but the Manufacturer's expanses of such
demonstration shall bo charged against and shall form one
of the expenses of the manufacturing business to be taken
into consideration in fixing the cost of oars as herein¬
above provided, and the Manufacturer shall in each case
whore sale is made, either directly or through the hankers
or otherwise, guarantee the construction and running of
aaid oars for a period of ninety (00) days after the said
oars are put in operation, and for this purpose the Bank-
ers are hereby authorised and empowered and vested with
fuXX authority to execute in behalf and in the name of the
Manufacturer a guarantee, in each and every case where a
1 oale is made by them to the extent herein contemplated.
TEBTH: The Manufacturer further covenants and
1 agrees that it has the full and unrestricted right and
privilege, except as limited under the provisions of
MrtMt "A" attached hereto, to grant unto the Bankers
the exclusive rights hereby granted and^that it will not,
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
cave for the purposes hereof, grant to others, so Ions as
there ho no default by the BunkerB in tho performance of
tho conditions and covenants of this contract, the right
to manufacture, assemble or doal in, diroctly or indirect¬
ly, said cars or batteries, and it has not and will not
diroctly or indirectly, grant to any on© any shop rights,
licenses, sub-licenses, privileges, agencies or other
righto under its aforesaid lioense, or under any other
licence or patent or patents affecting said typo of
batteries or care, or enter into any contract whereby tho
exclusive agency of tho Banker o may or will bo in any man¬
ner interfered with, diminished or lessened; but this
agreement is not to bo oonnidared as a limitation on tho
right of tho Manufacturer and subject to the terms of this
agreement, to employ aganta to sell said oars or to pay
others for obtaining on behalf of tho Manufacturer, orders
for said core,
Tho Manufacturer further covenants and agrees that
it will at its own expense institute , or cause to be in¬
stituted, suit by injunction, or otherwise, to enforce and
maintain the exclusive rights granted hereunder to the
Bankers, and will pay over to tho Bankers any and all net
damages recovered by it in such suit or suits, or other¬
wise, in reimbursement of any loss or damage suffered by
the Bankers by reason of any illegal interference with or
the diminution of their sales by reason thereof, and in
any action or actions so instituted by the Manufacturer,
eaoh of the parties hereto shall have the right to be
represented by Counsel of their own selection.
-14-
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
SEEFSliTH; The Manufacturer further covenants and
guarantees that the Bankers shall not hy any act of the
Manufacturer ho disturbed in their sales of said oars hy
litigation based upon any adverse claims under patents
affecting said cars or batteries, or both, and 'will, at
its own exponce, defend all suits or proceedings inoti-
tutod against the Bankers or their customers for infringe¬
ment of any patent by the use or sals of said oars or
batteries, providod the Bankers or their oust oners give
to the Manufacturer prompt notice in writing of the in¬
stitution of the suit or proceeding and permit the Manu¬
facturer to defend the same, and give all needed informa¬
tion, assistance and authority to enable the Manufacturer
I to do so.
TWELFTH: Upon notice in writing to the Manufacturer
six (6) months prior to the expiration of this contract,
the same shall be renewed and extended for a further
period of five (0) years, provided that at the time such
notico is served the Bankers, or their assigns, shall not
be in default in the performance of their obligations
hereunder. Such ranewal shall be upon the same terms,
i conditions, provisions and privileges herein provided,
excepting that during such renewal period the Bankers
shall be vested with the exolusive agency whioh shall re¬
quire them to place orders for oars par month as providod
in paragraph Fourth, regarding the period of extension;
upon the same terms the Bankers shall bo entitled to a
further renewal of five years each and to further renewals
thereafter of five years oach at the end of each period of
-13-
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
fivn years bo that, after the yoar 191F. the Bankers, in
order to secure and retain the benefit of sail renewals
must place with tho Manufacturer ouch month orders) for said
cars and equipment in the amount of 2(3 of the small cars
Bolling tit about §0,000 each or 13 of tlio large cars sell¬
ing at about §10,000 each.
THIUT^iTK: Tho Bankers hereby agree simultaneously
with the exooution of this contract to deliver to tho
Manufacturer orders for sixteen (16) of the small type of
cur now being manufactured or tho equivalent of suoh order,
to wit, eight (B) of tho largo or §10,000 type pursuant to
specifications hereto attached which shall be accredited
to tho first month of the torts of this contract,. An order
of oars in tho aggregate, equivalent to sixteen (16) of
tho small type of car, shall bo a compliance herewith.
FOUMSBKSH; Should the exclusive or other agency
herein be terminated or suspended by reason of a default
on the part of the Bankers, the Bankers may continue,
nevertheless, to obtain oars at the contract price pro¬
vided for heroin but the commission provided for will be
paid tc the Bankers only on the cars ordered by or through
the Bankers instead of on the Manufacturer's entire output
of cars. If, however, the Bankers commit no default with
respect to this agreement: the commission provided for hero¬
in is to be paid on the entire output of Etorapo Battery
Cars of the Manufacturer whether or not its said produot
be sold by or through the Bankers. In making up the num¬
ber of oars which tho Bankers are required to order, the
-16-
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
orders credited, to the hunkers under thiB agreement shall
not include orders not obtained through or from them
although during the term of the contract they reoeiya a
commission thereon.
FIFTiilKTiTH: The r/anuf aoturor may engage in the
I business of oar or automobile manufacturing or any lawful
business, Wh on the v/ord "output" ooourB herein it ap-
I plies only to the output of oars propelled on rails in
| the United States and Canada, by moans of Edison Storage
Batteries and the business of making oars so propelled or
intended to be so propelled is the only business of the
Manufacturer that is the subject of this contract.
I SIXTEENTH; This agreement shall be binding upon
and enure to the benefit of the Manufacturer, its suc¬
cessors and assigns, and to the Bankers, their heirs,
executors, administrators and assigns,
| IS WITNESS 7/HEKEOB The Manufacturer has caused
Ijthis agreement to be signed by lta President and attestod
by its Secretary pursuant to the authority of its Board of
Directors, and the Bankers have signed and affixed their
seal the day and year first above written.
FEDERAL STORAGE BATTERY CAR COMPANY
. - By C&jjMuL) ti, i4.(icc^L _
fy.<- - • President.
Attest:
( \ Ilf. If. ‘foul; twMnv _
!| I 0 Soorotary.
F. J. LISMAli fc COMPANY
By_ikpiL ^ _ (L. S. )
-17-
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
STATK OF )
0 , : SS:
COUNTY OF Tuw- )
On the duy of March, 1912, before mo persson-
ally oarno HM. and hr.Y.L^iZ^
to mo known, who, bains by mo severally duly sworn, did
depose and aay, that they reside in <Moj.
that /?. //. Mv is the President and r.tyUi-*-
is the Secretary of the FSDiSAT, ST OK AGS
13ATTISRY CAR COMPANY, the corporation described in, and
which executed the within instrument; that they knew the
seal of said corporation; that the seal affixed to said
instrument was sueh corporate seal; that it v/ao so affix¬
ed by the ordor of the Board of Directors of said corpor¬
ation, and that they signed their names thereto by like
ordor,
7h.£.
7]o£*am. &*&*., tfdye &
stats OF S3«r YORK, )
: S3:
COUNTY OF KifiV YORK, )
On this & day of March, 1912, before mo came
F. J. USMAN, to me known to be one of the members of the
-partnership firm of F. J. USMAN & CO. , and who exe¬
cuted the foregoing instrument, and acknowledged that ho
executed tho some on behalf of the said co-partnership
firm of F. J. USMAN & CO.
fisu.n~r.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
MINUTES of a meeting of the Board of Directors of
the Federal Storage Battery Oar Company, pursuant to call of
the President, at the Company's office, #31 Nassau Street, in
the Borough of Manhattan on the Slat day of March, 1912 at, 11 A.
There were present Messrs. Ferguson, Dale, Benjamin
and Harby. Ur. Beach telephoned that he was delayed at the
shops but was on his way. He came into the place of meeting
just after adjournment. The meeting convened with Mr.
Ferguson acting as Chairman and Mr. Dale as Secretary to re¬
port the proceedings thereof.
Mr. Harby announced that the meeting was called
for the purpose of considering the making of an agreement
with F. J. Li3man & Co. providing for the immediate purchase
of a numbor of cans and the purchase of other cars throughout
a period of five years, subject to renewals of five years
each, on various terms and conditions. The proposed written
contract vtss placed before the meeting and its various terms,
covenants and conditions discussed at length. After such
discussion Mr. Harby moved that the President and Secretary
be authorized and directed to sign said contract in duplicate
and to affix the seal cf the company thereto. The motion
was secor.dod by Mr. Dale was put and duly carried by the
unanimous vote of all present.
Thereupon the meeting adjourned.
(SIGNED) ChalmeraDale
Secretary of said meeting.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
tT,
/ iS~- L$ f
_ J^+s*~*-**- e^-*-**^ ...
frZ..: .
±
f
FEDERAL STORAGE BATTERY CAR COMPANY
BEACH™ CARS
EDISON STORAGE BATTERIES
SILVER LAKE. NEW JERSEY April 11, 1912.
Mr. Thomas A. Edison,
Port Myers, Via.
My dear Mr. Edison:
I have your note enclosing clipping in regard to the HcKeen
Motor Car Company. As far as I can get at the facts, they s re these:
The HcKeen Motor Car Company was financed by Edw. H. Harriman
and has been a losing venture ever since it has started. Mrs. Harriman
has withdrawn her support. While Harriman was alive they built a good
many cars and roads were practically compelled to buy them. Since hie
death it has been different. X am told now that the Works are shut
dorm at Omaha and the real reason for opening an office in Hew York is
for the purpose of getting some money to go ahead again. That’B about
the size of it.
There is absolutely nothing to fear from thiB McKeen competition.
In fact, we have nothing to fear from anybody in cpmpetition. We are
just piled up with work and I am using my best efforts to get the shop
in shape to turn it out quickly and a3 soon as you get back, I want, you
to come dov,n here and see how we are getting along. We are getting a
"real" factory.
rhb/qbw
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
✓3 j
Salisbury , E.C . , A1Jril 13, 1912,
Mr. Thou. A'- Edison,
East Orage, '-!. 3.
Dear Sir:-
I am taking the liberty of enclosing a din ing from
The Charlotte Observer of April 10th. Also a cony of a letter
of yesterday from Mr. P. Chatham of Charlotte, IT. C., both relating
to the Beach oars equipped with your battery.
I am assuming that you would want to know the conditions
described. My own interest is on account of the fact that some¬
thing over a year ago, I arranged with dr. Beach ,or th. agency
the South for these cars, and together with my associates have
spent considerable time and money introducing them.
Kill you kindly advise me whether you are sufficiently
interested in the matter to protect these people on account of
Yours very truly,
9^-
failure.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
DOOMED FOR THE JUNK HEAP i
April 20, 1912.
Mr. LsP.oy Scott,
■ Federal Storage Battery War Co.,
S.1 Ivor Lake , H . .! ,
Dear Scott, -
I was perfectly' paralyzed tonight, .when, on
opening the envelope of clippings from the various news¬
papers throughout the United States, I find about fifteen
Associated Press or news agency stories, of which the
following is a fair sampler
"Storage Battery Car a Failure.
Concord self-propelling passenger
conveyance doomed for junk pile.
Concord, N , C. April 11th. Concord's
storage battery street car is
doomed for the Junk pile. The
famous self-propelling child
of Mr. Edison's creative brdin
has ceased to propel. Once it was
the pride of the populace and
the joy of its possessors. 'Edison
storage battery car the first in
the South and the only one in
Uorth Carolina,' whs the proud
boast of every Concordian.
But alas! It beggn t.o weaken;
to grow faint upon its ceaseless
journeys, and at times to falter
and stop at the grades. Experts
were sent here to attend the
conditions. Time and time again
they' doctored its system. Mew
parts replaced the old, more power¬
ful motors were administered and
many other remedies resorted to
to revive and strengthen the
patient. All were in vain. The car
that was once the marvel of the
age now stands upon a eide track,
-2-
is*-
m&msi
quired schedule,
tine came to a*('nb*llder8 refused
t0 SfSm„nrlfid the- order and de-
rided to pufoP trolley lines. "
This ia cert A inly "^^’lead. hattery8people, of
broadcast all o^ the ,< . Beach «ar and Edison
course. It is goino lred m some time.
Battery than can he xePa d to the
in ■»» .Of Mm,i
d - car? *
Yours truly,
rwief ^gineer to _
CV'
■v y
. 'i /
‘ /
,<rV
iJ / ■ rn COMPLY
^ pfett • SVO"*® “ c f V^
1 / be'1'011 c
^UIPPIO'VITH
,„oN STOR^E BETTER
, MtF'N£^JEBS
' •■•' • '• £R LA ’ __ TELEGR^H HEWASIm n*1
. .,3 tftjfGS BR0W April 20, 1912.
Gant, lemon:
Vour letter of April 12th is the riret letter that we have ever
received to the of foot that cars delivered by us have demonstrated that tte
urdn bv ne with regard to them were not true and accurate.
This company has dolivorod storage battery cars etpiipped with Edison Storage
B^ttorioTto the Long' Island Hailroad Co., Suffolk Traction Company, Fatchogue,
Batteries to ttie bong iwan ^ UnlQn Trust Sldg. ,
H^r^b^P^ Carolina Traction Co., at Book Hill , S. C.f and .many others,
and not one of thorn has yet failed to express satisfaction with the purchase.
V!hat you say about the promissory notes does not disturb us because
we feel sure that your expressed intention not to pay them ^ notthebost
Zi most temperate judgment at the writer of your letter. The notes wore
sold at a discount by us when we rooeived them and we have no doubt that when
the owner of them, who has nothing to do with the dealings between you and us,
preBonts then they will be paid#
Believing that it. is cood policy not to permit a dissatisfied
customer to remain for a moment in a' state of mind that makes him regret his
purchase, we are willing to take unusual pains to straighten out your
difficulties or at least to show you that the cause of bad no^lts that you
say you have obtained does not originate with us. To that and if 1 ou v/111
secure the services or a conpetent non-partisan engineer in whom you have
confidence and of whoso competency there can be absolutely no doubt, we will
send down to '-ou to moot with him a competent ongineer who will go 01 er tne
whole situation with him, and with him explain to you the
dissatisfaction and how to obviate it. \.o are very sure that if .ho very
cars of which you new, complain were put. on a road property cons tooted they
would show not only the results that we have claimed for them but results
still more favorable than we have said could he obtained. The reports that
have reached ue indicate that core sold to you and operated by you toe
unusual difficulties to contend with ni riidi ^dent^hat these
two engineers will bo able t
you how to overcome it*
Bear in mind that it is our intention to assist you out of your
difficulties, if possible-, at least we will show you why
difficulties and will be glad to have you arrango for tho joint son lvos 01
the engineers as proposed heroin. Yours truly. President,
b/w
^ NIGHT LETTER
THE WESTERN UNION TELEGRAPH COMPANY
25,000 OFFICES IN AMERICA CABLE SERVICE TO ALL THE WORLD
Received at » -jaw
IBB&W
9NY DS 51 N.U.NLNLNLNLNLNL 30 AND 10 ORANGE 1 EX N.L.
MH.. ATLANTIC CITY N.U. JUNE 13-12
THOMAS A EDISON,
^PERSONAL"
WEST ORANGE N.J..
CAR ARRIVED THIS EVENING RAN TODAY ONE HUNDRED SEVENTY FIVE
MILES AVERAGE SPEED 32 MILES PER HOUR WATTS PER
CAR MILE 663 WATTS PER TON MILE 33
MOTORS BEARINGS AND BATTERY ALL COOL CHESAPEAKE AND OHIO
PRESIDENT STEVENS HERE HAS ACCEPTED CAR AND IS PROUD IT
RALPH BEACH 6 09 A.M.
FEDERAL STORAGE BATTERY CAR COMPANY
BEACH CARS
equipped with
EDISON STORAGE BATTERIES
SILVER LAKE, NEW JERSEY
PHONE 3746 BRANCH BROOK - TELEGRAPH NEWARK, N,J.
Hr. F. J. :
Hotel Savoy,
London, England.
iiy dear is r. Lionsnni
yesterday ISr. Rhoades and IT. X'.lnzoohoiraor handed
no an extract of a couple of your lottorc. In' one of whioh
you atntod tlint you hod had practically nrraneod about the
little line referred to In one of your previous letters, and
that you muted design of 3 oar a. S7o are working out thie
doBlgn end *111 tore It In a couple of days and nail It out
to you with full details • . ,
The other extract t/as the one whore you state you
are about to tie up with the Brltlflh Group, who aro lntorcetod
In a number of different tramay linos and p refer to some
Intorferonoo on the part of XT. ISonnot. 1 tdott this oxti^t
to Hr, Edioon yeotorday and hod a long talk with
conversation ho reltoratod almoot Ter batum the oonvwsatlon
whloh occurred botwoen yourBOlf and himself and i,yBolf Just
wlor to your departure. Ho added, hewovor, that ho wanted to
be fair to Hr. XSonnot and in thle, X think credit should bo
given to XT, Edison for his disposition to bo fair to every¬
body. EO requested me particularly to ssy to you ^
howd that you would to able to cako some mutual satisfactory
arrange uont^wlth XT. Bonnot, but that in case you could not^
or if Xonnct was unroasonablo, that you would almyB
to get batteries , and that If Bonnot In roallty did lmpodo
. your progroso, or did anything against your Interests, or
the interests of XT. Edison, or the Interests of the lntolll-
KSSSsSEKSSST
g£ Sfft?to 5S?» Wit^ould be a general
^BSrSSxBSsiSBS
would not allow a battery to go on a car In Kurope.or
ST “JETS i™£U« «..«» ■»-«*«■ «'
Mr. F. J.Llsman - £2.
June 26th, 19 12.
as oaojr movement as our oars. Mr. Edloon liooa not like
to lntorforo with Monnot unloas he la really interfering
with you. Any llttlo potty annoyance a I think you oould
readily overlook, hut If Morniot la really and truly
bothering you, you Junt right tho fact to Mr. Edloon, or
to me, and I think 1 can assure you that euoh stops will
bo taken no will prevent any further interference by
Mr . ...onnot .
in regard to Sooth. American natters. Hr. Edison
requested mo to say to you that he will give to tho
oanpany yon propose, the oxoluolvo right to tho use of
tho battery In traction v/trk, upon the basis proposed
In your lettor, which Is oxaotly tho basin you talked
him. If after you havo gotton into this branch of tho
business, your company doslros to acquire tho use of
tho battery or solo of the battery for all other pur¬
poses in all South American Countlioe, If at that time,
Mr. Edison is satisfied that your oanpany roally moans buo-
lnoso, and are qualified to handle the bsulnoss, ne It
should ho handles, ho will then give you these further
rights as above outlined. In rogard to tho patents,
Mr, Edison Bays ttat he Is protected in the Souther
American countries and our applications nro also made
there. 1
I am very muOh pleased to noto that you are getting
along well In Europe with your work, and I think , no
doubt, you will bo pleased to know tint wo are aloe
getting along nicely bore. Eo havo receive many ordoro, of
which, I presume tho office tovo adviced you. Our organis¬
ation lo getting Into flrst-olaso condition and bp the
time of your roturn I think yon will bo agreeably surprised
in tho oaapletoncos of «nr plant, and tho economical production
of our oars.
tsr. Edison wishes to bo rcaerobored to you.
Yours truly,
rfjrtfb.
President,
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
EXTRACT prom letter from mr.lisman to his part iters .
I am about to tie up with a British Group who are interested in
a largo number of different Tramway lines and have a capital of five
million pounds. Please ask Mr. Beach to see Mr. Edison and get Mr. Edison
to instruct Mr. Monnot to keep out of the traction field as he is seriously
impeding and menacing my operations. Monnot has been trying to get some
of these people to inspect some other cars in which he proposes to put in
Edison Batteries, hut they have heard so much about different batteries,
that they do not seem to care to take the trouble to inspect his cars.
I am absolutely certain that I am on the right track in handling this
situation and I must not havo any interference.
Referring to South American matters: I had a conference with
a leading South American merchant today, relative to organizing a com¬
pany to take the South American Rights. Efforts will be made during the
next week or two to interest the right kind of people to push .
there. The Board will consist of the President, or Chairman of the Board
of one of the big Argentine Railways, a representative of a company ^ich
owns a large group of Eleotrio Sighting Companies in Argentine , two similar
representatives of Brazil interests, and one or two men representing
jsw srstf a*.® rr
My people here also want to know whether both Mr. Edison Mid
we fail to buy in order to keep up with the minimum requirements of the
oontract.
c
^~~0 — 2-V
FEDERAL STORAGE BATTERY CAR COMPANY
BEACH CARS
EDISON STORAGE BATTERIES
o^';
SILVER LAKE, NEyV JERSEY
* Aug. 19th 1912,
Hr. Thomas A. Edison,
Orange, N.J.,
" -ftri
.% < , H"
r Hr. Edison:
■&*
0
T/e are getting to use quite a good
deal of power down here and the price which you are
charging, 4/ is not really very high. I have had the
matter up with the public Service Co. hut our load is
not sufficient so they can give us a price lower than
3-3/4/ per K.W. hr. They told me that your load over
at the Chemical Works is about the same and that they will
give you there 3-3/4/, but if we can combine them, they
will give us a rate of 2/{ this is not enact but iB about
where we would get off. The difficulty is that, under their
rules, two concerns cannot oombine. How the following seems
to me a feasible way of getting around the difficulty! inasmuch
as you own the property, why can you not make a contract with
the Public Service Co. and say to them that you would propose
to buy this current and furnish your tenants with power. I
think this would meet the difficulty. It might be included
in the rent, or any way to got around the technical diffic¬
ulty. V/e are already wired up and the apparatus could be in¬
stalled either here or over the Chemical V/orks, and in fact
will save us both a whole lot of money. If in a general way
this meets with your approval, kindly let me know and I will
finish up details and bring it to you.
"z
FEDERAL STORAGE BATTERY CAR COMPANY
BEACH CARS
EDISON STORAGE BATTERIES
She Weetinghouse-Baldwin Mining locomotive performance ie of
course remarkable, principally because It is unusual, but 1 realize from
your bulletin that we have In not one, but a great many instances for a
period of several years secured even a much more remarkable result from
the Edison Battery in our ears under varying conditions throughout the
country*
If you intend to use the data from us for publication in those
bulletins or otherwise, please advise and let me know the Bpace, etc. that
the bulletins will occupy and I will provide you from time to time with
diaries of the various performances. Including photographs, Inspectors'
performance records, etc*
For instance, we have a combination baggage, smoking and main
passenger compartment car that climbs a 5% grade that is two mileB long,
and that is 5% constant and that has five stops in the grade, and the
only thing we did to alter this car that was operating on a 12 mile steam
road was to change the gear ratio, after which it climbed the new extension
embodying the two miles of 5/t> grade without any difficulty whatever, and
yet the car operates at a maximum speed of 26 miles per hour at level.
There are a great many other similar instances which I realize
with your Skill and the space at your disposal you could elaborate upon
to advantage.
I am loaded up to the hilt, but if you can use these experiences,
I will get them up from time to time at home nights and will let you have them.
Meantime, we have never received regularly copies of new bulletins
printed matter, etc. from the Edison Works without special request. Mr. Bee
says our name is on the mailing list and he does not know why we do not
receive them. In any case, 1b it possible for you to send us say two copies
of each of your Army & Havy Journal Bulletins or letters from the beginning
U.H.H. 9/4/12/ -2.
oC tot «P «• «»«•' ■ ~W “* "* “ ”"U
help the general cause very much.
“ IZ, S/STtott™ p» carB' ■ »»**
you vrlll find of interest.
Yours truly
Sales Manager.
IiS/lBW
FEDERAL STORAGE BATTERY CAR — COMPANY
BEACH CARS
FHISON STORAGE BATTERIES
SILVER LAKE. NEW JERSEYt''
tf ''
Sept. 11, 1912.
Ur. Thomas A. Edison,
Orange , Kew Jersey.
TraWTffTR SOflVIlJjB fraction Oo.. H.O.
Uy dear Mr. Edlsons
Ue are having a fight with the people at Hendersonville, K. C.
Ue sold them a car about a year ago and the truck was not right. Ve replaced
it. tfe have done everything in our power to please them. They have continual. ly
found fault and Knocked our cars and your battery. They gave us a note which
has gone to protest. So have looked up their principal owner, a Mr. Staton,
and as far as we can find, he is a man of pretty tough reputation. He seems to
have an idea that by appealing to you on the ground that we are neglecting him
he can annoy us. As a matter of fact we have done dll that could be done
in reason to satisfy him. Furnished him a new truck; kept a man down there
to show him how to operate his car. I believe that the real basis of his
kick is that he don’t want to pay us. His operating force consists of one
sixteen-year-old boy.
I merely write you this in order that in case you do hoar from
him you will understand the situation. Y7e are forcing him to pay the note.
YOurs very truly,
Ur.
ft. ft. Bench,
vcderrO. Storage Battery Cer Co.,
Silvor Bti’KO, r.J.
Poor U,r. Berch:
Our inspector, Ur, Bildebrant recently
inspected the battery in your c- r owned By the rcoples
Electric Traction Co. of Mush ogee, Ohio. His Inspection
ftoport just received, d'ted fto’vtcnibcr 7th, states in Tit
as follows:
"This cur hes Been out of service t- roe
months arc! will hardly he used 'g'in as
the whole line now hes overhead trolley
system, Another re.- son for not using
the car is the drives, hearings and motors
would not hold up. Those people are satis¬
fied with the hett cries. The company hr a
been bought up f.no is now operated by the
Mnakogoe Electric Treat Ion Co."
Undoubtedly this is no news to you, hut
1 give it to you for whet it is worth. I had heard
nothing of tho croo until receiving this report.
Yours very truly,
SDlftOH STOTT IF BATTERY COMPANY,
-w.tt ui°~4
Chief Electrical Engineer.
WFH/J-.
1JU ^
11
STATON, President
D. S. PACE, Secreta
Bcuiu'vson&illc ®radtmt ffimiiputi
or'
Mr. Thomas A. Edison,*
Orange, N. J.
y ‘ j
iviLLE. N. (Sept. is, '191 ZXffcj r ,■-<
id ir.*csu^.i
Dear sir :
On August 1, 1911, we contracted with the Federal
Storage Battery Car Company of silver Lake, N. J. for an
Edison storage Car for which we were to pay $6500. <f/‘
We ^gave $1,000 with order anl paid $3,000 when the car wa,s
delivered. Under the contract the car was to be delivered/-''
to us within 60 days from date of August 1st. The c;
some means was delayed in the shops, and we did not
receive oar until the 15th of December, 1911.
We had donations to the amount of $3,000, said rv
donations subject to our having car placed on the track and
in actual service in 60 days (which we fully explained to
the Federal storage Battery car company at the time we gave
the order), otherwise, the donations were void. As the
oar was greatly delayed the donations could not be collected:
but we did collect $1100 on the $3,000, leaving a balanoe
of $1900 , net loss to us which we never can collect.
Owing to the fact that we had lost the $1900
on account of the delay in the shops, and as the Federal
Storage Battery car company fully understood when they took
the order that the oar must be delivered in 60 days from the
date of August 1st. We had quite a little trouble in settleihg
with Mr. Beach but we finally compromised and he allowed
us $500 credit on the oar. we gave him our not for the
balance due him, said amount being $3,000 due in six months
which note has not been paid from the fact that our car
has been giving us worlds of trouble in different ways, we
have been worried to such an extent that we have offered
Mr. Beach the oar if_he would pay us $3,000 of our money
back.
In the first place we bought the car with the
understanding and a guarantee that it would climb a six
per cent grade under heavy load one thousand feet long and
that it would give us entire staisfaotion. We put the oar
on December 16th and a representative of the Federal
Storage Battery Car Company was on the grounds and he tried
. STATON, President
D. S. PACE, Secrei
jgmhersottfrille Imclton (Eompang
[INCORPORATED!
EDISON STORAGE BATTERY CARS
HENDERSONVILLE. N. C„
as best he could to get the car to run satisfactory, hut the
oar from the first time it was put ?n the track clid not pui: I.
The young man told us, who represented the Federal forage
Battery Car company, that it toolc more poYfertopullthe
oar ' a distance of four hundred yards (said distance did
not oover any grade) than it took to pull the oar he had
just installed on another traok ten miles. The young man
never got the oar to run satisfactory and it would not
pull the hills with any degree of satisfaction at all.
we worried with the car for 15 or 20 days and
during the winter we found that if there was a slight
skiff of frost on the track the car would not pull, he™?s
we were forced to discontinue the running of our oar until
May 4th, 1912. On that date we opened up a schedule and
finding it impossible to keep said schedule, as the oar
would not pull satisfactory we were forced flled
the running of the car for several days at a time and appealed
to Mr. Soach time and ag&in for assistance.
Mr. Beach had his men down here several times
trying to get the car in the proper condition but without
suocess, we have only one grade of six per cent and only
three hundred feet long. The oar on a full charge, if it
had any load at all at times would completely stall and we
had fLimlar horse at the bottom of the grade which we would
hitch toSthl ca? and pull up to the top. If the oar came up
itself it would come so slowly that a
off the car, light his cigar, turn around, and step oaok
on without any trouble.
Our frame under the car gave completely out. We
spent considerable money putting in oross bars for the
motors to hang on and repairing the entire car. we also had
to reinforoe the outside rails which were very very light
and which had broken almost entirely into.
in order to get the oar to runat all we had to
run 15 minutes and charge 20 minutes. 'The ld
condemned on this account by Mr. Beach a i men ” the/ said
it outfit to run a great deal more, and be chargedlass.
we made several tests and under heavy charge the ^kr would
not run without recharging .more than ten totwelvemilos.
Under our contract the oar was to run 56: miles i ^hout
recharging. The car has been this way since the first day
it was put on the track and it has been i ^i^n^eats
laughing matter to see the car coming down the streets.
TATON. Pr.
5. S. PACE, I
ientesD Mk fedrott (Eantpan^
We made such a complaint and wa» Soi‘?2 *° ®b*ndon
the oar, but finally Mr. Beach did agree to Pnt As in a
new trueK The truck gave un a little more speed and did
“f. Li:; s*as
ahfour per cent grade on account of the wheels slipping.
She batteries have also given us a lot of trouble
•rSSSSlH-iw.
SilsSiSSHSS
oannot run it at all.
we have ashed Mr. Beach to help us out of our
trouble in' some way and he positively refuaes, stating
that he will not assist or negotiate any furthe wiun u
but trouble from the beginning and w®. 7
for heln to have our batteries repaired as they are
guaranteed for three years.
Mr. 3eaoh will probably advise; vou, "e t
ysjwas^rsas's-
we have been worKing one young man who has had
in the south.
we Pive you this infofmation so you can see
S«S,?SS5SSSfe-
transaction.
ThanKing you in advance, we beg to remain
Yours truly , C'T'ATA'y?
'ljm£SrAT07l> pr9B.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
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F U. G. STATON, President
EcM&ersonfcilb fraction (Eompang
(INCORPORATED] i
I1NCOBPORATED1
EDISON STORAGE BATTERY CARS
rqOF’1*'
Mr. Thomas A. Edison,
Dear sir:
.csapt. wy*»i .» .
^;>V>
- . w
refill
Referring to' your letter of recent date and in
connect ion with our car wh^h we purchased from -he ..na
Storage Battery Car company of silver Lake, H. J. whio
is 8 tanking on our tracj/ unable to run at an.
we beg that/you ship ub the ingredients to
our batteriee and th6t you have a man come dovm at our
ssuruvus
to us for a period of three years that somebody is
responsible, and we tatce it that you will see to it that ve
get" our car in shape and running order in the near futu.e.
It seems that the Federal Storage Battery Car
Company has only looked from their side, l^gall
we don't wish to do anything little about the
that can be done for us immediately as we are losing f_om
$p.O to Sso a day.
See reeSlindM ti ® .ban ia TOfeMnea. m .re not ClSae
a white elephant on our hands as this car has been irom tne
beginning.
<1
o
and oblige
Please let us know what you will do for us at once,
Yours truly ,
THdiAS A EDISOT, Incorporated.
October 3rd, 1912.
3ilver talcs Plant
Public service Electric Oo.,
Newark, N. J.
Dear Sires
Replying to your favor of
I o.vn the real estate and building6 at Belmont Avonue &
Franklin Street, occupied under lease by the Federal Storage
Eattery Car Company. I have in the past furnished them
with current from our plant at the Edison Chemical Works on
Belmont Avenue at Silver Lake viiich I also ovm.
As the present facilities which we operate at the
Chemioal '< orks are not adequate either for the Primary Battery
or Chemioal Works there nor for the Federal Company at Franklin
Street, vie pla)1 to secure an installation from you with a supply
of current sufficient to provide for all needs, the same to be
furnished under one contract, and if I make such contract with
you, I would in the future as I have in the past, furnish current
to the Federal Company as well as lease the land and buildings to
Yours very truly.
^ FEDERAL STORAGE BATTERY CAR COMPANY
BEACH CARS
EDISON STORAGE BATTERIES
SILVER LAKE, NEW JERSEY
October 4, 1912.
Hr. Harr y Hiller, Secretary,
Edison labratorios.
Orange, H. J.
Some time ago we had letter from you stating that Hr. Edison asked
that we get together with the Chemical Works with a view of securing a rate
from the lUblic Service Electric Co., for supplying energy to the ccrr, binod
interests, which has been done.
Before they will submit a proposed contract they require something
in writing from Edison showing the Interest he has, so as to evade the
Public Utilities Act. We have represented to the Public Service that Hr.
Edison has no other interest in our Company, further than he owns tho
buildings, and if in the future we make a contract with the Public Service
for current, it will be done under the name of Hr. Edison, he leasing to
us tho buildings, real estate and furnishing tho power, -which the Public
Scrvioo Engineer, Hr. Hichards says will be satisfactory.
Considering the combined load of our plant as well as the Chemical
Works and Primary Battery plant, the understanding is that the contract will
stipulate the rate of 1.9 cants per K.W. hour. We pay the Chemical Works
4 cents nor K. W. hour now with freo.uent interruptions and low voltage which
does not' permit the operation of our plant properly or the charging of our
la rge oars which we test from time to time. 2ho attached form of letter
•will I think, cover this situation; if you v/ili fill in the name of addressee
and date of the letter sent to Hr. Edison.
Hi-. Bc-aoh instructs me to handle this in this way, in accordance with
his recent conversation -with Hr. Edisai on the subject. Will you be so good
as to let mo know whsh action is taken, so that installation may bo hastened,
as at present we are up against it for proper power facilities.
s/l
FEDERAL STORAGE BATTERY CAR COMPANY
BEACH CARS
EDISON STORAGE BATTERIES
SILVER LAKE. NEW JERSEY October 15, 1912.
C/
, i,W"'
fry
Dear Sirs
lir. Beijoh informed the writer that Llr. Edison
had agreed to stand ono-th£rd of tho expense connected
with the demonstration of the throe Cuban oars at Long
Beach, Ur. Lisman assuming another third and ourselves
the remainder. Enclosed you will find a memorandum show¬
ing what the expense amounted to. Y<’ill you at your con¬
venience bring this matter to Ur. Edison's attention and
if satisfactory to him and in accordance with his recollection
please so advise and at the sarno time state if wo shall
make out bill for one-third of this amount, $L78.55, and
render to Ur. Edison or for the account of tho Edison Storage
Battery Co.
Y7W/k
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
Expanse, long ioach.
j October 14. 1912.
Federal Storage Battery Car Company
Eria E.
Printing
El« ctri '.i
Exjonsa' i
Erf onoe i o
First Pay
Second Day
]b. Pilot 2 days
Invitations
Hat Bands
pity- Put. Ser. Co.
FEDERAL STORAGE BATTERY CAR COMPANY
BEACH CARS
EDISON STORAGE BATTERIES
SILVER LAKE. NEW JERSEY October 22, 1912.
Hr. n. It. Hutchinson,
Thomas • Edison, Inc.,
% dear Hutch:
Herewith I return your memorandum and clipping from the
Son Antonio light, v/hich was in fact an editorial inspired by my brother,
who lives at San Antonio. You criticise that ha knows nothing about
boosting. Ho lia£ got "ballod" a littlo bit but our orperionco Inis bean
and I am sure you havo suffered likewise the newspapers in publishing
editorials ospeciaily on such technical subjocts usually got confused.
However , you will notico ho states that a rf&art of electricity may bo put
in a pint accuramulator if it is an Edison Accumulator. So date wo have
received sovora'l hundrod articlos, many of v;hich are editorials from
daily papers throughout the country and all of thorn to dato are higlily
favorable, but technical discussions are confined to Trade Journals
who havo the "dope- right.
FEDERAL STORAGE BATTERY CAR COMPANY
BEACH CARS
EDISON STORAGE BATTERIES
SILVER LAKE. NEyV JERSEY
Hr. H. F. Hiller, Secretary
ThanaE A. Edison, Inc.,
Orange, E. J.
Dear Sirs
We enclose herewltn let cor irum jjarucn .urotnere, t>u nrcaav
dated the 19th instant, together with copy of our reply, for your
attention.
October 24, 1912.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
Baruch Brothers
October 19, 1912.
Mr. Ralph Beach,
c/o Edison Storage Battery Co.,
Orange, Hew Jersey.
Dear Sir:-
\Ve have had an inquiry from one of our clients in
regard to the Edison Storage Battery Co. and we snould be
pleased to receive such statements of the capitalization and
resources of the Company as you would care to make public. Viill
you also please send me any literature you may have which would
show the different kinds of batteries you are manufacturing at
present and give us a statement as to their efficiency etc.
Is the Edison Storage Battery Co. at the present time
manufacturing a line of electrical trucks or are they simply sell
ing their batteries to other manufacturers? Can you give me the
names of any manufacturers who are using the Edison batteries
in their trucks?
Thanking you for the courtesy of an early reply, v.e
beg to remain.
Yours very truly.
D.C.M./C.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
October 24, 1912.
Hesere. Baraoh Brothers,
60 Broadway,
Hew fork.
Gentlemen:
We hare your favor of the 19th ah cst the Idle on Storage Battery
Co., which X have referred directly to them at Oange, H. J. ly only
aseoolatlon with that Company 1b that I use the Edison Battery for
traction purposes.
I take plea Bure In sending yon a eet of literature toiler separate
cover.
Tonra uBry truly,
LeRoy Scott
s/l
Sales
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Hr. A. H. Dimook, City taigineer,
City' of Seattle,
Wash.
Your favor of Oct. 16th relative to storage battery car for camp 32
haB been referred to us by Hr. Hutchinson of the Edison Storage Battery Co.,
on November 1st. We are sending yon a complete set of literature under
separate cover describing our cars: equipped with’ Edison batteries, together
with print 9/3/12 of storage battery locomotive. It is not clear to up
from your letter whether you wont a locomotive to haul a trailer or whether
you want a combination car to handle baggage,' freight and passengers. Your
letter states the latter, but the data siioet enclosed Beans to refer to Si¬
lo comotive.
We enclose herewith exterior view of a single truck combination car
together with with interior view of the baggage compartment and floor sketch of this
oar, whiltyi is 29» 7" overall length and passenger compartment seats 20 passengers
and baggage oompartment three passengars comfortably with maximum of five passengers.
She baggage compartment is 8-1/2 foet inside maximum length. ThiB car is probably
what you want but we do not know battery equipment required, and cannot give you
a price on the car pending other details from you. Will you be so good, as to
let us have data sheet filled in of which we send you a set of blanks under separate
cover and inoluse also a profile of your line so that we may know the length of
the line, elevation and location of your gradeB, which we note are rather heavy.
Also please advise whether the Tanana Valley type of car is suitable in a general
way. Xf not do you prefer a lccomotire. We observe you specify air brakes.
A compressor on these oars ubo considerable current, especially with a small battery
which we believe would be suitable for your work, and if the motor compressor 1b
not installed on the car you would have to go to the expense og securing a station
motor compressor, unlese, you have compressed air available so that we could Use
a storage system air brake. We are installing a car In California on a line which
hae a very long 13$ grade and purchaser has agreed upon, and we believe it is safer
to install* a auxiliary emergency brake than to install air brake.
PleasC advise in this respect.
Yours vers
2B/P d/s
Manager.
FEDERAL STORAGE BATTERY CAR COMPANY
BEACH CARS
EDISON STORAGE BATTERIES
SILVER LAKE, NEW JERSEY
November 27, 1912.
II. Meadowcroft ,
Labratory,
I have the correspondence attached to ray letter of the
13th with memorandum notation on same about the Multinola phonofynph.
I thank you Pti lcindly for havin'- submitted the matter
to Mr. Eli son. 17111 you be so ro od ar to return by first post the roll
of papers includin': prints, etc., which I handed you at the same time in
tho mailing tube, and. very pro-tly oblif-e?.
FEDERAL STORAGE BATTERY CAR COMPANY
BEACH CARS
EDISON STORAGE BATTERIES
SILVER LAKE, NEW JERSEY
Sovecior 27, 1912.
2jr. w. H. Yoadowcroffc ,
FI icon Isbrntory,
Orar.frc , K, J.
Bear Kir:
Herewith clipping from tho Denver Boat written by Hr. O^ilvy
to whom Hr. Biison was f?ood enough to ffive interview With Hr 1 Perrine
myself. ?his article will he followed in a week or :.o ertcnci'
on "Lieht Dural Hallways" made possible with the Llison battery.
Yours very truly.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
PFnFBAL STORAGE BgLEEgY-QAR COMPANY
BEACH CARS
EDISON STORAGE BATTERIES
SILVER LAKE,
Hr. Thomas A. Edison,
Orange, II. J.
LIy door Ur. Edison:
NEW JERSEY ,< Eovombor 2
4A %
1912.
I tovo received a request from Up. John II. Jflmv. Secretary
of the Washington Section of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers
to mate an address before that body on the second Ihiooday in December on^
the Edison Battery and its various applications, particularly as applyfca
to driving oars.
Kindly lot
loiow if it is agreeable to you that J, should do thi:
bhb/obt;
Eonr Rir
gju \0
. >VfA
/V
•£e ,Kh
-i
Jn thorn any
Ci,n ho attached to strcet-cari
order to diminish the fearful
they produce '.vhile
Thanh ing y°u in advance
for the information, and apologizing
for the trouble, I beg to remain,
Respectfully,
Edison General File Series
1912. Battery, Storage - Foreign - General (E-12-17)
This folder contains correspondence and other documents concerning
the commercial development of Edison's alkaline storage battery in foreign
countries. Included is discussion of battery-powered streetcars, electric
vehicles, naval vessels, and other applications. Most of the documents for
1912 pertain to arrangements involving Edison, Ralph H. Beach of the
Federal Storage Battery Car Co., and banker Frederick J. Usman, who was
authorized to market Beach's battery-powered railway cars, equipped with
Edison batteries, in Russia, other European countries, and South America.
Other correspondents include John F. Monnot, representative of the Edison
Storage Battery Co. in Great Britain and parts of Continental Europe, and
Miller Reese Hutchison, Edison's personal representative.
All of the documents have been selected except duplicates and variant
versions of selected items.
Sr«c4s£ •
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e«~C-C t-CW' 'VU^CC_4T-fLc^.->— ' 1
ICC /C'^fc-W*-
Journal, lie acids!
"About the f 3 nancial arrangements Mr. Edison and you
have made for me, X truly do net know how to express myself . ^fanJa/isfy
of gratitude have become so shop-worn, that they never seem sin¬
cere. I will then say simply that I thank you for your liberality,
and can only hope that I may remain worthy of your good opinions.
I think I can best show my appreciation by keeping you
informed as to how things are going over here. V/e have a long
distance between us, and yeu people at Orange une apt to get dis¬
torted id v ; it to the situation. I shall, therefore, make free with
my opinions, upon all matters, effecting the Company, no matter
whom they concern, as X know you will treat them absolutely con¬
fidentially, and will see that they do not get me into "hot water"
w : fch my colleagues over here.
•I wish to have my salary, expenses, etc. eminate from
your office, so that I can remain a free lance, independent of the
London Office. I can see that will be the most advisable method. I
do not, under any circumstances, wish to sever my direct conre c
ions with the Horne Office.
As to conditions here!
Due to the exhibition at Olympia, the London Office was
inundated with over 2,000 inquiries. A couple of firms wished the
, -• + to usB Edison Cells') upon existing omnluus l^net., and '<ere
I;;:., to error 500,000 Pounds as a pledge. Due to the complication
of Mr. Monnot faking over the agency, nobody know a just '.here wa
g tand • He Informs me that he did not intend to open the battery
to the - market, hut would perhaps found an "Edison Traction Co."
or some such nronogl tion, for its exclusive use, hut at present
he would not sell Vehicle Batteries.
While I am in agreement with him, it would not do to
sell the Vehicle Ba tteryfdiscriminately , without due investigat¬
ion of the type of equipment in which it should he installed,
hardly see where it is a gain to us to allow a monopoly of one. make
of vehicle. It gives an immense advantage to the latter at our ex-
Now, I don't know what agreement you made v.i'/n Mr. Monn
ve raa our representative. Perhaps
■but you have stated to me that ne us ™ i
I misunderstood his statements, and that he does intend - to open
the cell to the' general public, after due investigations of the
merits of each customer.
This is a delicate thing to mention, and I am writing,
as before stated, in strict confidence, between Mr. Edison, yourself
’ and myself. I don't doubt Mr. Monnot's good faith, but I think
he is following a mistaken policy if he act3 .as I nave outlined.
1 will have a long talk with him in the near future, and get nxs
ideas correctly, as it is suite pro’oable that I misunderstood nis
The Sales Department that Mr. Monnot has organized seems
to be paralyzed by the number of inquiries which were turned over
to it by the Edison Works. This is to he. expected, and I know they
will all see their way in time, but there is f rictio^between -ne
-3-
PXfSl -S *'
l.: TONNOM-PARIS
ACCUMULATEURS EDISON
JW\ JOHN F. MONNOT M.E - A.S.M.E.
^ \ / Seul Concessionnalre
p * > n ^ -/
ACCUMULATEURS
My dear
PARIS, LE X6t'n^„.
x k a / ! o
r Thomas A. Edison, ^
.. *>*
«L^ ?
^ v\
X am pleased to inform you that the bill of Josef
Bardi of Budapest for repairs on the Daimler car I had hired for you ,
has been settled. On receipt of your cable I had taken steps to : U ‘_t>
release the guarantee given by the Budapest General Electric and Mr. V-^i
jehl. I am very sorry that they have been put to any trouble in \s~y
this matter, and, if they had written to me instead of to you it
would have been settled without annoying you.
(h
or.d\l
I have been very busy since my return organizing the Storage-
Battery business and have supplied already a few batteries for car d j jj >
lighting and for yatch purposes. Pox has been at Flllesden Junction^ | *
forming the stock of batteries, which is now ready, and X am taking — j 3 “
him over to Paris to form the stock here. ■ -j, .
I have secured a suitable place in Paris where I can get • j: ^
electric current generated on the premises at a much lower price
that it is possible 1
) obtain from the Central Station.
I have not yet received the demonstrating and show room
trucks and cars from Anderson and this is causing me some serious
inconvenience as I have many people waiting to make tests on the
cars before purchasing. I have been cabling and writing to him
and expect to receive them soon.' The prospects for business are
very good and I expect that when I get the cars I will be able to
make good, sales.
The tests which have been made up to now by the Paris
General Omnibus C°. for the lighting of the autobusses are going ^
on satisfactorily and I am equipping now 3 new busses with 6 A. 4 ^
cells instead of the 12 B.4 as you have suggested to me when you ..
were in Paris. When this Company has lun these busses for the -
necessary time te determine the practability of the system I am
A*
k
Mr. Thomg
Edison,
“ 5T
v*
snlfi.'^as vf
assured that, I will get the order for all their lighting, which^will
he very important,
5“«rjar5 x
S sss^s
sue o essful w e may expect to get a very large order from them. —
X regret to have to tell you again that Bergmann isstiU
offering his battery for sale outside of Germany ana Austria and I
?±£ow instances where he, has quoted prices very much lower- than
we can make. This creates a very bad impression especially as he
is still supplying a battery of very inferior quality. I just
received to-day a letter from one of my salesmen who is now in
Belgium, that Bergmann has delivered a battery £0^ini^n&C *
of Antwerp for a commercial truck. The test of this truck was s<
bad that the people said that it was scanaalous t°deliversuch ,
batteries and the results have been spread all over Belgium. ,
X told you already, this creates a very bad impression ana.
your good name in Europe.,
As you told me you had a contract with Bergman n
he cannot export batteries outside of Germany and Austria I think
that it is absolutely urgent that you should notify him to keep his
extract Lf not interfere with the work I am doing in the balance
o-f Europe. If he is going on discrediting the Edison battery in
Germany it is bad enough but he must be kept from doing it |1 -
where. In view of the information I had I wrote to oergmann on
December 23th. last advising- him that I was handling your ba iy
outside of Germany and Austria and that I requested him instruct
his agents to not offer his battery for sale outside. *** *err: 1
tory and also asking him to make arrangements with me for the
batteries I will require in Germany for the Amerson cars ana trucks
I mav sell there. I am enclosing copy of his Company ,s answer ol
thrifSth. inst. by which you will see that it is necessary that
you should write him directly.
Please remember that you have promised 1
of your new rectifiers and I would like to have s<
possible as they will be very useful for charging
batteries in the garages.
I have also quite some demands for the small portable
cell and I hope you will be able soon to have them ready fob the
market .'
I hope that you are in good health and that everything
is going according to your wishes.
With best regards I remain.
Yours sincerely^/
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
-COPY
DEUTSCHE EDISON-AKKUMUIATOBEN-COMPANY G.M.B.K.,
Drontheumerstr, 55/36,
BERLIN.
Jan 13th. 191S.
Mr. John P. Monnot,
51, rue Daru, Paris,
Prance.
Dear Sir,
Your letter of the 23th. ult. addressed to our Director
General, Mr. Bergmann has been referred to us for attention.
We have noted your re 'narks in connection with the sale of
the Edison Storage Battery in Europe, but would beg to point out
that as we have received no formal intimation from Mr. EH son of
the arrangement to which you refer, we cannot naturally regard your
letter as official, until this has been duly confirmed from the
proper quarters.
With regard to the cells you may require for electric cars
sold in Germany and Austria, we shall be pleased to go into this
matter further and quote you prices, if you will let us have parti¬
culars concerning the sizes of the cells, etc. you are likely to
need.
Yours very truly,
(signed) per Berthold
January 18, 19X2.
Mr. .Edison,-
In reference to your memo on correspondence
relative to Government batteries, for Europe, Austria and
Germany excepted: •
We embodied in our letter to the Monnot that all
inquiries from the Governments were to be turned over to
me, and were to be handled direct from Orange. He so
understands this.
Government work is never of such urgency as to
demand immediate reply. The conditions are speoial, and I
think the matter should be handled by me direct, ih order
that the special conditinas obtaining, and whiOft are not
understood by laymen, a&Bt'be provided for.
I am writing, Monnot, askjrBg fchajt herforward all
these Government inquiries at once, so that I can give
them immediate attention.
Hutchison.
PRESIDENT’S OFFICE
Memorandum
2037A
Mr. Edison:
3?eb. 1, 1912.
Mr. Stevens lias brought the attached letter to
my attention which you have approved.
Upon reflection, I believe this is a wrong
policy for us to follow, and I wish you would reconsider
the matter.
In the first place, the arrangement would be
effective at the present time only in connection with
Europe (with the exception of Germany and Austria) and in
connection with Australia. Yet, we have patents in other
countries, such as India and Japan. How are we going to
control the situation in these ether countries where wo have
no representative? Obviously, by telling Anderson and the
others to go ahead and equip their vehicles with Edir.cn
batteries, chip them abroad and remit the royalty to us.
It seems to me that this ought to be done with Honnot
and with II. 3. limited. I believe it would result in annoy¬
ance and complications for a person in Australia, for example,
to buy a vehicle from Anderson, have it shipped to Australia
and buy the batteries from U. 3. limited and have them put
the batteries in the vehicle. Vfe certainly would not sell
any more batteries this way and we might sell less, because
if a purchaser was only a little disposed in favor of the
Edison battery this small annoyance might change him in
favor of the lead.
furthermore, I do not see why we are required to
make this special concession to llonnot and II. B. Limited. VI e
do not do it in the case of the Beach Car and why should we
do it in the case of any other piece of apparatus which nay
ho furnished with the Edison battery? neither llonnot nor
II. 3. limited guarantee to do a definite amount of business
and in my opinion could not expect us to do any more than
protect them in the sale of Edison batteries as such, and
not in the sale of vehicles and other apparatus cquippe d with
Edison batteries.
If wo carry out this arrangement there is an
opportunity for much confusion in case Anderson vehicles or
other apparatus equipped with Edison batteries go into for¬
eign territory without the manufacturer's knowledge. A
man might buy a "Detroit Electric" in lien York and take it
to London, ant we know from past experience that this would
be the cause of much correspondence.
Suppose we are successful in having automobile
manufacturers adopt Edison batteries for ignition or for start¬
ing purposes? This is not an improbability at all, and there
would be endless confusion if every one of the cars had to
be shipped abroad without batteries and bo supplied with
batteries by llonnot or Ii. '3. Limited. The situation might
be oven worse if the battery is adopted for other purposes,
siteh as for gas engine ignition or Y/elsbach lighting.
IIow is the time for us to decide the question
correctly, and not establish a lot of precedents that will
embarrass us in the future. It seems to me that all that
monnot and II. 3. limited can expect us to do is not to fill
(3)
orders from their territory end to refer orders from their
territory to them. This would practically give Doth of them
the right to interest automobile and true!: manufacturers
in their territories in the Edison proposition and agree to
furnish them with batteries. Sup ose Hoimot or II. B» limited
did this and furnished Edison batteries to true!: or vehicle
manufacturers in their territory-is it not practically
certain that they would take little interest in supplying
the Edison batteries for lansden or Detroit Electrics that
might be shipped into their territory? A more probable
.caBe is this: Monnot, I understand, has the agency for
the lansden truck and naturally he will push it as hard cs
possible. Suppose the General Vehicle Co. succeeds in
working up a business in England, wouldn't they naturally
resent having to go to Honnot for their batteries for G.V.
trucks?
She only objection I can see is in connection with
royalties, but all that would be necessary would be to tell
our customers that' when batteries are furnished for shipment
in certain foreign countries royalties must be paid. ie
would have to do this now in the case of any bat to Tins shipped
to India or Japan, and I do not seo why we cannot do it just
as well in the ease of any batteries shipped to Europe or
Australia.
In this connection, is it your understanding
that the exclusive arrangement with 'Anderson extends to for¬
eign countries? That is not my undr rstsnding at all. In
other words, if the Baker Co. has orders for Baker vehicles
(4)
to T,e shipped hona fide to Europe or Australia, should there
ho any objection to our furnishinE Edison batteries to them
for this purpose?
EI.D/IVA7
Enc-
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
The Anderson Eleotrio Oar Co.,
Detroit, Uloh.
Oentleraen;-
You will undoubtedly rooelve from time to time,- foreign
inquiries in roferenoe to the sole of your eleotrio vehloles, sane to
bo equipped with Edison storage batteries, and in order that there may
be no misunderstanding in refercnoe to the sale of Edison storage batteries
in foreign countries, we beg to advise that the Edison Storage Battery Co.,
of Orange, II. J., only oontrol the sale of Edison batteries in the United
States and Canada, and are only permitted to sell in those territories.
The foreign nale of Edison batteries is controlled by parties
owning 'the foreign patent rights, and they are obliged to pay Ur. EdiBon
royalties oovering his batteries as followa;-
Ttype B-2 Cells 1 .10 Per Cell
It A— 4
'' A- 6
" A-10
.40
V.'e simply give yon this information, in order to avoid any compli¬
cations which may arise between your good selves and the parties holding Edison
■storage battery patent rights in foreign countries should you exeoute foreign
orders for your eleotrio vehioles equipped with Edison Btorage batteries.
Tory truly yours.
ws/eae.
Hanager, Foreign Departme
PRESIDENT’S OFFICE
Memorandum
203GA
Pel).
1, 19X2.
Hr . Hutchinson:
In reference to the attached memorandum from
Hr. Lannhan, what is the special reason for the proposed
foreign patents? 17c already have patents in all the countries
you mention, except Argentine, Brasil and Chile; hut entirely
aside from the patents. Hr. Edison has always felt that it
would he a very difficult matter for anyone to ms: re a satis¬
factory Edison battery. I presume your recommendation is
based on some special consideration regarding Submarines, and
as X will have to tube the matter up with Hr- Edison I wish
you would make it clear to me so that I can correctly explain
the situation to him.
P1B/IVA7 5”
Enc-
February 2, 1912,
Mr. Byer ,-
X have your memo 2038-A, of February 1, enclos¬
ing memo from Lanahan, In the matter of Foreign Patents
for charging secondary cells, and utilizing the current
therefrom, Polio 785.
ThiB invention is of especial value on sub-
marines and electric locomotives. Especially doea^hiB ob¬
tain in submarines, because there we have great difficulty
in cooling the cells when charging rapidly. Of "8°®„tilat-
the size of the air Intake and outlet pipes , for ventilat
ing and cooling, are small, owing to the ^ifficultyof
occluding such a passage, if of considerable diameter, to
prevent ingress of water, when submerged.
In this patent, I divide each cell into s^eral
groups, and treat each group separately. That is, auppos-
inp we have an S-20, consisting of twenty positive plates.
This cell would be made up in two groups of.
and eleven negatives to each group, having their respect¬
ive binding posts, but both groups submerged in
elec trolyti. All of No. 1 groups are connected
in series, and all of No. 2 groups are ®n
in series. Naturally, when charging at a high rate, or ln
fact, at normal rate, in Tropical waters, the greater
radiating surface *er ampere passing It i^there-
the mo^e effectually will the cells be cooled. It is there
fo?e evfdlnt that by charging all of the No. 1 groups
first, and following by a charge of No. 2 group3after
ward, we have a very flexible arrangement.
The use of lead storage batteries in submarines
is attended by much difficulty in cooling, and this in¬
vention is applicable to lead cells as well as
feature in all Countries of any importance.
Another interesting feature of this invention
i* the ability to discharge the cells one group at a time.
uaeB only No. 1 groups f and when she returns, cnarg-s
tha“ oSe group up. In the event of unforeseen conditions
arising? fhehasNo. 2 group always fully charged. This
makes the boat more flexible in maneouvering, as she can
call on a freshly charged group of cells at any time,
for forced speed.
In the operation of electric looomotives charg¬
ing at hih
-2-
call on a freshly charged group of calls at any time,
for forced speed.
In the operation of eieotrlc locomotives charg¬
ing at high rate, we would also divide the cells Into two
or three groups, thereby facilitating cooling when charg¬
ing at high rites.
K, B, I am returning Lanahan's
herewith.
February 13, 1912.
Ur. Dyer,-
The Submarine Cell patontB have not, as yet, been
prepared.
We are taking big chances.
I am called upon tc furnish detail working drawings
to the Wellman-Seaver-Morgan Company, and to the United States
Government on this new pontoon crane battery, in which I will
US9 s-6 cello. Construction cannot be started on the batteries
until the drawings have been approved by the Navy Department.
I do not dare to forward the drawings until the patents have
heen put intp the office, because 1 have no way of determin¬
ing as' to who will see them after they leave our V/orks .
I also do not think the Foreign patents have been
applied for, for this method of dividing the Moments of
a cell into groups. This is very important, as I am describing
this feature to several Foreign Governments. Have to do it.
This Submarine Battery matter has been in preparation now
for a year and one-half, and I want to see some results
come into that Factory.
I trust you will facilitate the patent end as
much as possible, and thereby greatly oblige,
Yours sincerely,
t
H
Jt
RET
sy
Go
•K
Yoiivptarch and.
4 Ay
/ /
r y /
Thomas A. Edison Esq,
v^cy/^7- ,
X take pleasure to inform you tha-t
I have returned from Europe and that I am fully prepared
to go ahead with your proposition.
Will you kindly be good enough to have
the copywright of your printed pamphlet extended to me, so
that X am in a position to have same printed in the Spanish
language.
\
I translated same and as I want to have the
printing done promptly, also kindly let me have your stereo-
type-plates, which I will promptly return.
I also would be very thankful to you, if
you would make an appointment with me in order to inspect your
cpmplete/ plant, which you installed for demonstration purposes.
Awaiting your kind answer
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
B^if . Import &' Export . HOT YOWC CITY.
nSroSs V/aidemcir , -g* 28, mtfU. **£ *«*■ St.
Room 64.
In response to out rawest for .t.toment Ejte .Joye Udi
■ "j-^hruary 15th, 1911, succeeding Balk & Deursr.
"Inventory September 16th, 1911.-
. _ - f 470.00
%o"i1eSf borttengetted)- .
"Caeh in banka ■ - - - a 85‘.00
"Cash on hand---- II. _ _ J. _ I 200.00
"Othrr^eeeta margin in caah deposits .for _ 250.00 $5,955.00
SllffaSS or *H«*
(BignsalH.*,
mg for possible shrinkage.
60-296 . -rV E . Oct oh? r 4, 1911.
3»*> n-fcor.
■ \ •- ~T'"~
~Hk
, up/*-'
IMPORT - iiXPORT jT- ^ ]^?c,allR'
■ STRBnT^-^/^
'"ifctvf Yoiufjf ^ MarjSh 16th. 1913.
p?er m pf « v
i3r Reese Hutchis
Milled Reese Hutchison Esq.
Chief Engineer to Ur. Thomas A. Edison
144, Lakeside Ave.
Orange H.J.
Dear Sir,
Take pleasure to inform you that I am an ardent
reader of your very interesting reports in the Journal
of Commerce every week regarding the "Edison Storage
Battery". ^ .
For your personal information I beg to say, that
per Mr. Edisons verbal agreement the Territories of
British East India as well as Cuba have been assigned
to the writer in order to introduce the "Edison Storage
Battery".
However, preliminary1 measures could not proper¬
ly be taken on account of my European business trip, from
which I returned a few days ago. But Mr. Edison assured
me, that right' after hiB return from Florida negocia.ions
would be taken up again.
The pamphlet " For your information" has been
translated by me into the Spanish Language, and I reques¬
ted the Copyright to be extended to me. , _*
May 1 also translate your reports in the Journal
of Commerce ? I thing it would bo a good policy to promote
this in order to propagate the nevr invention also in Spa¬
nish speaking countries.
Awaiting your kind roply I remain
“* *’ ” lt noted in tl. 3°a”| £S XVuch
fldential Loeally «*S2 4S"'*?,t
— i» *^wsts©JR^~- * - 4600 “a
g*ir« *j£i« »— '■zpgg?-. . -v *--■«•» 2o'i9iz-
BASINGHALL STREET,
RICHARD ORDENSTEIN.
Mr. Thomae A. Sdieon
Orange, N. J.
LONDON, E.C.
March 87 th _ i #2 _
Dear Sir,
Referring to your letter of November 3d. and
December 4th . 1911 adraeaed to me at Nevr York, I beg to
inform you that I am now aatabliahed in businoBB here at
the above adreBB.
You mentioned in your eecond letter that you
were preparing' a new article to bring out during the
winter and two' more in the aummar and that you would
give particular at the time of conflation. -
Aa I informed you at the time, my line of
buelnesB will be the introduction of american linee
in Kurope and I shall be glad to hear further from you
with regard to the artiolaa under consideration.
Youro truly,
HOLLAND TORPEDO BOAT COMPANY
ELECTRIC BOAT COMPANY
groton, conn. March 30th, 1912.
jgcT Edison Storage Batteries for Russian Submarines.
*\>YV
Mr. Thomas A. Edison,
Edison storage Battery company, U>
Orange , N. J. \
Dear Sir:-
We beg to invite your attention to a serious misunder¬
standing now existing in Russia in regard to your storage batteries
for Russian submarines. The entire details of this matter have
already been communicated to your Company in previous correspondence.
A review of the subject is contained in our letter to your company
of the 27th inst.
We are just in receipt of a reply to our letter of the
27th informing us that it will be brought to the attention of Mr .
Hutchison upon his return, about a week hence.
We have already had a number of cables and letters from
Russia in regard to this matter, and to-day we have received another
letter from our representative in St. Petersburg informing ub that
the matter 1b regarded as very serioUB and urgent. We, therefore,
feel that we cannot afford to await the return of Mr. Hutchison, and
would request that as this is a subjeot which seriously affeots your
own Company, that it be given immediate attention. The substance
of the matter is this: Your company has given to us certain guar¬
antees in connection with storage batteries. One of your represent¬
atives has handed to the Russian Government entirely 'different
guarantees. The Russian Government naturally insists that the hat
teries supplied should conform to the latter guarantees. You will
see that this condition will serve to place either your company, or
our company, in a very had position in the eyes of the Russian author¬
ities. unless this matter is explained satisfactorily to the Rub-
sian Government that Government must either discredit our representa¬
tions or these made hy your Mr. Pox. If, as we understand, your Mr.
pox is now in Paris, we would suggest that the most direct and sat¬
isfactory manner to handle this situation is to cable him to return at once
to St. Petersburg and straighten out this matter. V' would suggest
that before going to the Russian authorities he first consult with
the Nevsfcy Company, who are our licensees in Russia.
We regret very much to have to present this matter to you
in this manner , but we are convinced that any further delay will be
considered by the Russian authorities as inexcusable.
very truly yourB,
ELECTRIC BOAT COMPANY.
- vie e-Pr e si den t .
gcd/j.
».t TONNOM*PARIS
ACCUMULATEURS EDISON
JOHN F. MONNOT M.E - A.S.M.E.
/ Seol Concessionnairc
w . .....
(COPY)
ACCUMULATEURS
AH dCdlioru E— -TFLI/GB.
Hr. Thomas A. EDISON,
OliiHGI ,
New .Terse
f
Uy dear Hr. Edison,
I have not written to you lately, .as I knew
in Florida having, a rest. I hope you have enjoyed your
and that it has done you good.
vou were
holiday,
I have received the letter -f Bergmann, of February
1*7 th you have sent me in communication, and wmeh I am returning
enclosed. The statements he makes in same are not correct as I
have a letter of Robinson & Company, xrom nutwergj, staging tnc.t
{he batterv they have purchased from Bergmann, apy-ei; iOiu months
of intermittent work, gave only an efficiency of oO,.. In presence
of these poor results, tney nave as.-ceci them to trike the o..tlery
bade and ns the”- refused, .they have ~sue4 them to mntfeJ.,the tiling
publi’c , ancT say that now n’obody' would want any more ? I their
batteries. They also say that many people and administrations
have asked them for information and tney gave them the pool
results they had obtained. It is in presence oitnese facts tnat
I wrote you, and you know very well that I am not_liotening 10
pure ros-ip, as Bergmann pretends, but only wanted to pcotyou
so thlt vou may instruct Sergmann to not sell any more batteries
outside of his territory, as he has been doing. ,
I have to redeem the msuccess Bergmnnn nas made m
delivering poor batteries, and for this reason nave to place some
batteries on test to have good reports, .as tne pepplc aie scep¬
tical about the results we can give. Tins mat ter isno.clo.ecl
and I will not bother you any more about it, as, ^mce you in xe
written to Bergmann, his. Company has been referring to me the
enouiries they have received outsinc oi their ter.ij.ory, -nd, on
the other hand I have hec-n in correspondence wiHi Beigmann,
and he has made me a proposition to tike over his territory, so
as to have the whole of Europe under one control. Je su.te.. mar
w°2 Ur. Thomas A.EBI"0II ?/4/l2
lie knew that such an arrangement would he agreeable to you, and
has asked we to come over to Berlin to discuss tnc macter vvii.li
him. t have been so busy since that I have not a ad time oO go,
hut I have made an an n ointment with him for next Friday, and I
will he leaving- for Berlin day after to-morrow. I will report
to vou the result of rav interview with Eergmann and if his pro-
position is acceptable, it uay be advantageous to :r:;ce an arrange-
ment with him, as he suggests.
I return here. I have
: to
I forgot to advise you tin
called on Ur. Varies ns you a 'd vised me to cio, to post aim as
a'r intention in developing storage battery traction in Europe,
hut he was busy, and another person of hie firm receive... me,
was dissatisfied that
In view of the reception I received — . -
I did not think it was any more use of seeing him, -and,
following the plans I have outlined to you, I iir.ve ap ro ached
other people to form a syndicate for the development of the
traction with vour battery. As you know, it will require a great
deal of expenditure. I am pleased to report to you that I have
secured the co-operation of some good financial people oere for
this purpose, ana that I am now organising a traction company,
with them, and that the-" have already deposited m tne ban*
100, 000 dollars for the first capital needed, and have agreed to
furnish 400,00'' dollars more for furtlier requirements. .
Bith this capital, I am sure to he able to tna.ee a good showing,-
and to increase rapidly the sale of the battery. I supply iTic
buttery to this company at the same price you have given me, and
I get an interest in the company, so as to retain the control o.
the business.
As vou know, I am importing now the pleasure cars and
truck chassis from the Anderson Electric Company, and I am order¬
ing from the states chassis for.btfssei. And will try to secure
from Beach the trucks for his tramways, and vail then arrange to
have these built in England and France. Be do not intend to have
works to build ourselves: but can easily have all parts built in
other shops, and have only assembling shops, to be sure that the
electrical equipment is correctly made to suit the -a aery, and
make the test ourselves before we deliver to the customers.
In this connection I have seen Hr. Cromelin while in
London last week, and have arranged with him to take over port
of vour Billesden Junction Borks, which we will increase accord¬
ing to the capacity of the business, and this will relieve you
from part of the rent. I have also decided to keep the stock
of batteries at Billesden Junction, and to make a permanent
installation for the forming of the cells as up to now. we had ,
a very poor installation and had to pay too heavy a price tor
the electric current.
"r. Fox hf.E gone 'back to Yfillesden Junction last week,
and he is arranging the matter with Ur. Cromelin, and we hope
to obtain quite a reduction on the prices of current from the
distributing company by saying that they have all interest to
' favour us with cheap rates to enable us to develops the
business, as we may in future require a large amount Ox current.
I have sold a few large batteries lately, and have
some important business which we are following up now. I did not
do much yot for traction, as I hav.e only received the firs cars
lately, and was waiting to have this traction company organised
to be able to give it the extension it requires, but I have
already good prospects of large business, especially one for.
100 5-ton trucks for the handling of the city garbage of Pans.
These trucks have to be built specially, as the motors and
battery must he on the front wheel, ro as to have ala rge^ and lo.;
box on the rear to be able to empty easily in it the gar cage
cans- If we obtain this order, it will be a splendid adveitisc-
■ - •’ — - - - - future. I do not
ment, and the City will require many more m mture. I do not
know ’of any trucks of this Kind built m the states, otherwise
I' would have ordered some for trials to gam time. Should von
know of anything suitable for this purpose, I would be obliged
if you would have the ’ " i'"
Pailroad, to try to get them to us<
lighting. The Chief Engineer told
[formation sent to me.
time ago on the French Government
;hem to use the EDI SOU battery for tram
the lighting that will be permanently installed in the cars md
that they will be able to charge in the shortest possible time
without axle dynamos*
Some of their cars, after they .reach the end of the
Line have to be returned with then gw train inside of an hour,
and for this reason they want to be able to give a mil ?harge to
the battery in the shortest possible time, me Chief engineer
told me that if we could do that. they would certainly adopt our
astern, but to not cone back to. him without a firm proosition.
The requirements would be therefore as follows *
A storage battery that could be charred - say - in one-
capable of giving 20 c-p. lights for 20 hours, or 4,000
The standard battery would not be able to do this,
and we will have to wait until you have the 0. type ready, and
I will be much obliged if you will let me snow when you expect
to have it out, and to have me sent all information on same,
so that I can make a proposition to this Tteilroad.
This same Government Pailroad is electrifying their
suburban lines, and I tried to interest them in tne Storage
iir. Thomas A.3DIS0E 5/4/lS
8TW! JS£jUk MSS'
°S ! SsLVsriSSi 6 p‘t Mbtefe -
SJ ®slfin“ cruet > t«
to enable me to do it*
You will oee that I h^enourh ^fore £e to
is to11*
make any mistake*
II opine you are well,
I remain, with kind regards,
Yours sincerely,
(Signed) J.F.i:W!"0T.
aJ. h»<>~£i*L 4 '
f<4a~
ACCUMULATEURS EDISON
JOHN F. MONNOT M.E • A.S.M.E.
Seul Concessionnaire
ACCUMULATEURS
L c1
0
paris. le 23x4 -April ISIS.
ja. b»»» $.{pjscp.
\H e w Jo r b e
UtS*A.
Ky dear Mr. BPISQH,
l returned last week from Berlin where I saw !|r.
Bergmann, But as I had to go immediately to Loudon, I did not
have time to write you by last mail*
I hope you have received copy of my letter of .2th
instant, which was sent to you in ray absence, afi the original
was lost on the '‘Titanic".
I spent a full day with. Mr. Bergmann, and went through
all his works, and visited in detail lus battery, factory , 7mr.Qhj
Is you told me after seeing it, is very well e quipped , I think
could he used to advantage for manufacturing your new types of
cell. What I did not like is that Bergmann is . still msnufact urii^
mostly the E. type cells, and when I called his attention to, the
inadvisability of1 putting them on tue market, ^marlofld thu.J.. .
they were good enough for the purpose for which he Was selUn^ l- m
viz: for lighting, ignition anfi miners^. lamps.^ Vg
not sell auv of that“type now“for traction. * Ur. Bergmann Besjmsh
to he entirely disgust eel with the hat tery hus in^Bf^'fe?d|Gf||trr‘e
to help him out in keeping his business alive as he P|etsnds that
he can manufacture, hut is not organised for selling TO lotteries.
He told me also that the Deutsche Bonk, .^o has mill OB:
ir&rx\i
“a=;S ssv. Stidhi ».
it would.,
to give him some orders for the territories.
vantage ous to ship from Hermnny .iastrod to1
help him to koep the factory going ih JnrteVeat «i> w force cusp
asset n*f~-
He says that .this Plight to he agrppphle to ?dtt, ns yon
(Mr. Thomas A. 31) I SOU)
23/4/1912.
would get , ybiir tbvalty aB wfill, sito that.it may be advisable to
keep Ms faotdiyr Tot future European afiyblopmdnt.
. I told hk tfe»t 1 g pul A not do anything with but re¬
ferring to you, but that in cay case, should I under take with your
approval to work with him on the selling end tonupply orders to-
kts footory, f mflat have an option on the purchase of his fabtory
and the lioenoa of the German. Aus trian ana Hungarian territories
to whi^h he agreed in pri.no.iple.
As you know, Bergniaun has too many things, to attend to
and does not give the. necessary attention to the battery "business,
he stated that he would not put up another cent into the business,
and that in aase L would not give him the help he requires to get
his^faotor^going*. he would have to sell out under pressure of the
%der these circumstances, I think it would be ad¬
visable to let me make arrangements with Mr. Bergmaflii, on the lines
stated above, as in the near future it may be that vou 'Mil not be
able to supply from your Orange factory alltlie storage batteries
that will be required for the European market, on account of the
development I understand your sales are talcing in the United States
As you are supplying Bergraann with the positive ty/es
and oxyde of iron, and as he is making only the mechanical part of
the battery, I do not see why he could not supply cells equal to
those you are manufacturing in Orange and that he would agree to
furnish them to me at the same price you have made them.
For Switzerland, Germany, Hungary, the Balkan States,
Denmark, Russia, his shipping expenses would be less than from
London, and we would therefore save freight. On another hand-,
I would take from Bergmann an option on his battery business,
-including the factory, long enough to enable me to take it over
at the proper time when enough business has been developed and
you could then at that time send some competent man to run the
factory, and we would thereby get hack the Control of the whole
of Europe.
Should you authorize me to make such an arrangement with
Bergmann, I would see that no batteries leave these works without
having been properly formed and tested and I would have one of
my own men to do that work. Fox has already trained a man in
London who is now fully able to attend to the formation under
his control and we have one now in Paris who mil be able shortly
to do so. Fox could then be free to go to Berlin for testing the
stock of cells.
In any case, we would always have the formation tables
which Fox would examine carefully, ana if any battery does not come
up to standard, they could be re-put on formation under his
instructions.
If you think it would be advisable to enter into such
an arrangement with Mr. Bergmann, it would be necessary that you
N°3.
(Mr. Thomas A.EDISON)
23/4/12.
EDISON batteries to purchase Bergmann's factory and business
without any expense to you.
Will you kindly give this matter your best consideration
and let me know what your intentions are in this respect, as Berg-
mnn has impressed upon me the necessity of making an arrangement
in the near future, as otherwise he would be probably forced to
sell out, as I told you before.
With my new organisation, I hope to be able to develope
rapidly the Battery Traction business, and you must understand that
there is a lot of preliminary work to be done, as there is a. great
Prejudice against it on account of the previous failures, .with the
ead. batteries. The conditions' here are quite different from
the United States, and the best prospects are for heavy traction,
as both in Prance and England the radius of vm delivery is higher
than in the States, .-nil, un f ortvc v tely/jKBMiHft d oer r.ot Birnuicc-
tvrt the- w trveks which I now need, and I will be obliged to
have them built here, and this will take some time. The pleasure
car business will be limited, although I expect to bo able to get
out quite a number of cars this year.
I am now working on the railroad Lines in England and
Prance, and have a number of cells out on test, and a full battery
with one of the best contractors in England, who has promised if
these results are satisfactory with his system, to, purchase in
quantities. The Paris bus line is going on well up to now,
and the Chief Engineer of the Company, whom I saw lately, told me
that he wanted one more month's test before extending it on a
number of lines.
Unfortunately, they have invested large amounts in the
acetylene line, and do not feel inclined to change the whole system
before they have recuperated part of it by a long service.
As soon as I am able to. deliver them a storage battery bus chassis
of the proper type, they are willing to put it in service, and if
the results are what we claim for them, they will order a number,
and replace gradually their gasoline busses, which as you know,
have been recently built. The London General Omnibus Company have
also put some A-4“ cells on test, although I had a lot of trouble
to get them to do it, as they are no w using the dynamo system which
they have standardized on their auto-busses. I have secured an
order from the Marconi Wireless Company, and there are good pros¬
pects of getting large orders from them.
In fact, I an making steady progress in introducing the
battery, but of course, the big output will only come, in electrica
traction, which, practically, does not exist any more over here.
You may rest assured that I am doing everything possible to de¬
velope' the business, and I hope that you will soon see some re¬
sults that will satisfy you.
Awaiting your news, and hoping you are ip good health
1 ^l^ftest, regards.
1912.
63Xs..>- ^ |S'faMieL ox.
" May 4,
Foreign Representatives of the Edison Storage Battery Company,
and Royalty schedule;—
Germany Represented by
Austria-Hungary,
Australia
Argentine
Paraguay "
Uruguay
Great Britain "
Europe (except Germany, Austria-Hungary)
Canada Represented by
So, Africa
Deutsche Edison Akkumulatoren
Co. Drontheimerstr. 35-38,
Berlin, Germany.
It. B. Limited, King A- George Sts.
Sydney, Australia.
Agar, Cross A Co., 11 Broadway,
Hew York City.
J. F. Lionnot, 31 Rue Daru,
Faria, Prance .
Canadian Fairbanks-Uorse Co. Ltd.
444 St. James St., Montreal, Canada.
A. H. Johnson & Co. Ltd.,
Capetown, So. Afrioa.
Royalty is to be added on all shipments going to the following
countries ;-
Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Italy,
India, Japan, Mexico, Hew South Y.'ales, Russia; Spain, Switzerland, Sweden,
Victoria.
The royalty is to be added to the price of the cell, after the trade
discount has been deducted, as follows ;-
3-2 10 cents per cell
B-4 20 " " "
\ B— 6 . 30 " " "
A— 4 40 " " "
A-6 60 " "
80 » " "
$1.00 pgr cell
$1.20 " "
A— 8
A-10
A-12
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
F. .1. Lisman & Co.
yi
Boston"0 O'
PROVIDENCE O
Hf * Thomas A.Edis^&n, Praj^ident, ^
Edison Storage' Battery^ t^mpanj^' f
' \ wtr^
\ iS-
Dear Sir:-
Ae our Mr. Lisman is leaving Shortly for Europe and
among other matters will take up the formation of a company, or
companies for the exploitation of the Edison Storage Battery, we
think it advisable, in order to prevent any future misunderstanding,
there he some written statement of our agreement at tills time.
You and your company grant us the solo and exclusive right
and license to sell and manufacture nnd^seU, lease or otherwise
use for profit ^Tn^he^r it i eh ieVes , ''Europe and adjacent islands,
exoept the German and the Austro-Hungatinn Empires, the inventions
covered by various United States and foreign patents granted to you
or your company, or which may have been or may hereafter be acquired
by you or your company, relating to the storage battery or any
improvement or modification thereof, of which patents you are to
furnish us detailed schedule when and ns required.
in consideration of this grant and license, we agree to
endeavor to form n company or companies for the exploitation of
your storage battery, which companies it is agreed, upon organiza¬
tion shall assume by an assignment from us, all of our rights,
obligations and liabilities hereunder.
We shall have these rights upon receiptof your answer, which
righto are to be terminable at your pleasure upon sixty days
notice in writing, unless within thirty days after the completed
T.A.B.-2-
organization of the first one of the companies above mentioned, we
bGKin and maintain sales of /our batteries ns per the following
schedule:
propulsion of cars on rails:
600
700
BOO
J 0300
2£ 1>900
cells
U"
per month for year commending
,1913,
1914
1915
1916
1917 -
and>ffrmunlly thereafter.
It 1b especially understood that, this schedule merely
indicates the general nvernge of sales to be substantially sus¬
tained and that such shies nr* cumulative, and in the event jriiat
those of any one calendar ponth are in excess of the minimum
requirements, such excess shall be applied upon account of prior
nnd subsequent months, the sales for which were below the
established minimum thereunder.
Y/e are to have the right at any time, either before or
after service of notice of termination of tnis agreement, and for
the purpose of retaining our rights hereunder, either to purchase
on our own account a sufficient number of batteries to make good
any default as to minima, or to pay for the shortage at the rate
of $1.00 per each cell, which payment shRll be accepted in lieu
of such additional sales and shall nullify such notice of
term! nation.
®n the event that we should at any time
manufacture
T. A. 15.-3-
ov/n cells under your patents, there shall also be applied cn
account of and in Uou of such minima of sales or any fr rt thereof,
the number of batteries so manufactured by us, and it is agreed
you will .receive in lieu of nil other charges and profits for
each and every cell so manufactured:
B-2 per C<,H>
B-4 " "
A-4 " "
A- 6 " "
A-8 " "
A- 10 " "
A-12
It, is understood that, we have assumed no obligation to
purchase any bntteries whatsoever nnd nothing herein contained,
shall be^ons trued, nnd that the only rights arising from our
failure so to do, shall be limited to your right to terminate
this contract upon sixty days' notice in writing.
The batteries purchased by or through us are to be equal
to the best of your product in the various types manufactured and
you. are to deliver with them for the benefit of the purchaser your
usual guarantee.
You are to thoroughly protect and defend all or any of
your patents nnd the rights thereunder granted at any time at your
own expanse nnd through your own counsel.
The prices to be paid by. us or for our customers are to be
those of your lowest list prices in force at the time of purchase
to your most favored customer and for your best terms, less 20%
discount, plus the following royalties:
B-2
B-4
A-4
A- 6
A-a
A-10
A-12
10^ per cell,
20f "
40 i "
60 4 "
oo i x
$1.00 "
1.20 "
T.A.E.-4-
you rtb to deliver said batteries to our order free in
Europe, with the exception of duties payable to any foreign
Government, end shall maintain, both in London and Paris, depots,
the aggregate stock of which at all times shall he maintained in a
quantity not less than the minimum cells per month requited to he
purchased. by. us from time to time.
Batteries are to be delivered to us properly and fully
charges for the purposes of their intended use or sale, or you are
to pay the cost of forming and charging the cells, including the
cost of current and labor.
you nre to keep at your own expense for his salary and other
expenses and at our service, a thoroughly competent man, familiar
with your batteries, to cooperate with uw and oversee the
matter of forming, filling and charging the batteries, packing them
and putting and keeping them in the most satisfactory condition
for sale and use.
Before exercising any of our Tights hereunder, we nre to
,o acquire, terminate or otherwise save you harmless
. rights, ns selling agendas may have been previously
acquired from you or your company by Mr. J.E.Monnot^ of Paris^, ^ _
providing always that this can be accomplished b
said Mo'
^not in some >fy*city ^ged by. us to be^dvantageoue £
cost^Of ndt raor/tlfcn $?,000 por^nnura. for n term
than five jyea/s, o\ atourVptiob to purchase such^p ^
r hove ^iStn Jned , i£or the ViJra of not
$7,500 /n cash^
In the event that we should acquire the rights of Mr .13
Bergman, of Berlin, relating to the exploitation of your storage f'l
,,4-?/.-
/uJfrh'j
fa,
'.A.E.-6-
ttery in Germany and the Austro-Hungary Empire, or buy hii
j grant up nil right and privileges now possessed by him.
Until we put in force and effect our obligation to ta.
e minimum quantity of batteries, ns above provided, you a-
continue your present arrangement with wr.Monnot, but nr
make any other sailing arrangements or grant any rights
stent with the full operation of our agreement.
This agreement binds and bonefits both of us and our
ccesSors and assigns as well, and in the event of an assi
us, our assignee takes from us our obligations and right
? hereinbefore provided, this
i»e ement shall contii
jre, hereinbefore referred to, and any extensions thereof.
It is mutually understood that in the event we should
tiis agreement, thnt you will directly lie
or manufacture and sell, otherwise lease
ys to the terms and conditions of this ag
Kindly confirm the contents of tliisilet
'it.
h, • <//. if*/- A»/s * '
COPY
May 16th, 1912.
Monnot,
31 Hue Daru,
Paris, Prance.
tM V”'
hV"
( 4^
Dear Mr. Monnot :~
Hr. Lisman, a hanker of Hew York, has inaae an
arrangement with Mr. Beach ana myself for the Unitea States
whereby he finances small railways, etc., ana guarantees
the purchase from Beach of eight cars per month, inciting
battery. This guaranteed minimum, which increases each year
for five years, X have agreed to and am working under it.
He has filled Beach’s shop full.
Mr. Iiisraan has very good banking connections
in Europe, being a Jewish banker ana railway expert on bonds
ana other railroad securities. He wants to ao business in
Europe also, especially in Prance. ana England, where he has
banking connections vfho are abundantly able to finance large
undertakings, in fact his friends in England already have several
Horse Car lines.
I have told him of my arrangements with you
and have suggested that he take the matter up with you, so
that you will be taken care of if you are agreeable to the ar¬
rangement. I suggested that I was morally bound to protect you
and that I thought perhaps you would be satisfied with 30 or
40 cents net profit per cell. He only wants railway business;
we go on with all other lines of work. He will call on you.
and I hope you can see your way clear to go into Borne arrange¬
ment.
tae/bs
Yours very truly,
(signed) Thomas A. Edison
COPY
Mr. P. J. Usman,
30 Broad Street,
Hew York City.
My dear Mr. lisman:-
Mtr 16th, 1912. . 1
y y
A X
$
I am willing to aid you in Building up a market
for oars propelled on rails by my storage Battery in Russia,
Horway, Sweden, England, Prance, Belgium, Italy, Spain,
Holland and Switzerland, providing you will take care of
ray present agent, Mr. J. P. Monnot, of PariB. In the event
that you can agree with Mr. Monnot I would give you a reason¬
able time, say six months, to gather together a financial
group to create a market for the batteries for -the above
purpose. The batteries are to be supplied by me as you
need them from ray depots in England or Prance. In case
you are able to make arrangements agreeable to Mr. Monnot,
I should require that your financial group shall buy for a
period of say five years a certain number of car battery
cells per month, which number shall be the minimum quantity
of cells you must buy in order to hold your exclusive rights
for the battery for rail car purposes in the whole of the
Countries above named. After the preliminary period of six
months this limit should be not less than full battery equip¬
ment for four oars per month. There should be an increase in
p.J.L. (2)
May 16/12
oar equipments purchased per month each year in order that you
may hold the exclusive rights. There should he a provision
whioh would give your people the right to terminate the
understanding upon six months' notice.
Should you form companies to finance the
railroads whioh will create a market for the hatter ieB. I
have no objection to enter into a contract, providing the
Companies are satisfactory financially and otherwise.
Yours very truly,
(Signed) Thomas A. Edison.
tae/es
^
(M H
liny 17th, 1912
Hr. F. .7. Lisrmn,
30 broad Street,
Hew York City.
Ily dear itr. I.ismnn:~
Snelosod I hand you a letter of intro¬
duction to Hr. bereraann, together with carbon copy of
a letter I have written to hin.
Youra very truly.
tab/bs
Hay 17th, 1912
Mr. 3. Bergmann,
23 Oudenarde Straaae,
Berlin,
Germany.
My Dear Bergmann: -
Thia will introduce to your good self Mr.
P. J. Liannn, of the Barikine firm of ?. .T. Liaman & Co.,
Hew York, who visit a you in relation to the Storage Battery
Company.
Yours very truly.
tae/es
I’r. 5. Bergmann,
£3 Oudenarde Strasse,
Berlin,
Germany.
My Bear Bergmann
The Banker who will call on you in regard
to the Battery Co. in F. J. Lisman, of ?. J. Lisman l: Co.,
He .- York. Xiamen is an expert in railway aeourities, and
the firm does a large Business in financing electric rail¬
ways and Industrial concerns. They are Jews and are highly
spoken of in ry reports from Both Bun and Bradstreet.
Liftman is financing Boach for United States
Business By agreeing to t.nke and pay cash for several cars
per month, and sells them to roads that the firm finance? ,
and otherwise.
Lisnan Believes in the future of the Buftiness
and thinks of extending his operations in Europe .
I gave him copies of your onBleB naming the
price. He made no comment. He was to sail for Germany on
Hay 11th, But has Been delayed and now expects to sail Hay
21st. 1 have given him a copy of our contrnot and a letter
of introduction, and hope you and he can make a deal.
S.3. (2) Kny 17/18
I think Doty got some idea from Beach that
Usman nieht do business with you, and slipped over to
get an option in order to roake a hold up. My cable to
you was to prevent it.
YourB very truly.
tab/es
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
\ [ „ V -»£X
E .1. Lisman JtCo.
B^VXICERS
191/
Mr .H.H.Bonoh, President,
Federal Storage BatteryiCar Co-.,
Oliver Lake, N..T.
Bear Sir;-
I am writing this to confirm my telephonic conversation,
in whioh yon expressed yourself as willing to give to a company
to he formed in South Amerien, and to he backed hy influential
people, the exclusive selling ngenoy of the South American
countries, on the basis of the company, say nine months after
incorporation, purchasing a minimum number of care per month.
As business down there is naturnlly not ns great as in
Europe and the United States, presumably a minimum amount of
orders of $25^0.00. per month would be reasonable and satisfactory
to you.
We are denling with a group in London whioh controls the
most important electrioal undertakings in South America nnd
are satisfied we can push the business if anyone can.
There is r further understanding that if the company should
conclude to erect its own plant, it is to be given the benefits
of all your and Hr .'Edison' s patents, on the Jobs is of pnying you
royalty of $1.00 per car seat on all oars manufactured, and
paying lir.Bd*won the full list price per battery, less a
discount of lOfi during the first three years, and if Iff .Edison
reduces the cost of hie battery after that, time, the discount is
not to "be leea than 205 (•
We are eending: lir.Hdieon a copy of this letter,
^ '-p'j'i' Very truly yours, - -
Nj«r\oi{ic
May 21,1912
,1. Lisjian Jt Co.
B^VNIUiES
Dear Mr.Edison:-
I wrote a letter to Mr .Bench the other day, asking
him to let me have copy of the contract witn you, but have hnd
no reply from him. I am afraid the trouble with Mr. Beach ie
thnt, he ip too busy working on his car and hns too much of the
ununi carelessness of the inventor and neglects some important
business points. If he followed your canny exnmple, it
would be better for him in many ways.
As I understand it, while you would not care to enter
into a contract with him for certain exclusive rights ns to the
use of your batteries, you did say thnt you would enter into
nn agreement with him on behalf of your company, that Mr. Beach
would always be able to get your bntteries. I hope such nn
agreement has been entered into. If it has not been done, I
must urge that you attend to it in justice to Mr .Bench, to myself
and apsocinleo.
Y/hat would we do if anything unforeseen should hnppcn
to your good self and someone phould step in and give the right
to somebody else, not only to use the batteries in connection
with cars moving on rails, but also give somebody the exclusive
right? Our companies would be substantially worthless, and we wool
be pubject not only to ridicule but to severe blRrne for overlooking
this important foundation stone in our affairs.
1 am quite sure you willssee my point of view on this
ie justified end therefore Hope before X resell I,
it will be Attended to. .
express to you my
apprec istion of your c
Hr. TH os. A. Bdloon,
Orange ,11. J .
Ver y truly yours,
A dr esse T£l£or. i TON NOM-PAR1S
AOCUMULATEURS EDISON
John F. MONNOT m.e - a.s.m.e.
Seul Concessionnaire
Mt-AiJOW
I 7>eg to confirm my Setter of April X3i'u. tor "hldi
I have had no answer up to now. Last wee’: I ha1 the pleasure
of ■laving several interviews with Ur. Dyer in Bondon, and I
ha.vo acquaint eel him fully v/itli Ber"aaua’s< situation. Tic- las
advised me to £0 to Berlin, and I am leaving day after to-morrow
to meet him there. ’.Then I visited the Bcrjaunn aorl;s, I too!:
with me Ur. leven, who is interested, in the syndicate I have
formed for the development of the electric traction hy ‘"dison
batteries, and v.ho is a very influential man in. Scandinavia and
Bussia.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
'llU
-5
« > cu-t-i-t Ci <e > ^
c.c.t;<r . C
W-JZl Sj rtrV-
f\i ttox y *>c
1 ^ y $> .
XJlTv^n ‘i$ (C^ .
LO C^I C-^.
tC\
1/*
a 0
Kri-U
.,__ / . -i , U.-C te-J^<-LI ,,
liny 23rd, 1912
Mr. ?. ,T. Usman,
30 Broad Street,
Ilev; York City.
DeRr Mr. Usman
Your favor of the 21st instant hns been
roceivea ana its contents notea.
You vri.ll remoraher it was agreed that 1
would not make a contract hut would have a Resolution
adopted hy the Board of Directors of the Edison Storage
Battery Co. to the effect that if the contract with Mr.
Beach was carried out you would always ha able to got the
hatter ies.
Shis shall he done. I will arrange to
have a Directors' meeting called in the near future and
carry out ray promise.
Yours very truly.
tae/es
^antfeche Telegraphea.^ \ -
(GERMAN ATLANTIC CABLE COMPANY) 4 STytyfoA
AYV^ - - n«n. ro rnnu nroMHUV TO MCW YORK \ ..*■
^e^LTW0 direct CABLES FROM GERMANY TO NEW YORK-
EXCLUSIVE CONliTEc¥lON WITH THE COMMERCIAL CABLE COMPANY
“VIA EM PEN -AZORES’*
nnmn RTBEET. Subject to term* and condition, nt b
1 SQ307 BERLIN 77- ZYMOTIC NY.,
EDISON MONNOT DOTY HERE MONNOT SAYS BEACH GAVE
HIM EUROPEAN RIGHTS BEACH CAR YOU SAID GO-AHEAD
BEACH CAR HAS DONE SO INTERESTED NUMBER CONCERNS
DOTY SAYS YOU GAVE BEACH EUROPEAN RIGHTS TRACTION
PURPOSES LISMAN COMING APPARENTLY INTER8TED OTHERS
BEACH CAR DID’ YOiJ GIVE BEACH THESE RIGHTS MONNOT
\h.ILL INSIST BEACH OBSERVING CONTRACT WITH HIM
WILL PRODUCE COMPLICATIONS DONT YOU THINK. MONNOT
SHOULD HANDLE’ BEACH CAR BUILDING THEM PARTS
PAYING BEACH ROYALTY ANS>ER HERE
DYER
, v atea®1*6 Telegrapher^
vcC^-,J> (GERMAN ATLANTIC CABLE COMPANY)
TWO DIRECT CABLES FROM GERMANY TO NEW YORK. “
EXCLUSIVE CONNECTION WITH THE COMMERCIAL CABLE COMPANY
“VIA EMDEN-AZORES
Received et..20.jBHOADjSTJElEET...
... to te
MAY S2ii iaiZ
2MG 456
BERLIN 31
ZYMOTIC EDISON NY
HAVE WRITTEN YOU YESTERDAY ABOUT
IMPORTANT PLANT SHOULD NOT GO TO OTHERS
CREATING CONFLICTING INTERESTS HAVE PLANS
. YOU CAM DEPEND ON ME
PR.BABLY
COMPLETED
RELY MON NOT
'.s ^r-
16-M
htooj 1 >
\C\cJr
o/uwew &,pf j^fiUn£vn J4/W/
frrvn *1[V\ crvwi o£ Hi-tn
dirwCrO-ct^ 'Viand cut^f frt. vv\e<.cl<z-
^JlTr tVcvcTTon I-Uo-G/M YH 0"vxxn cnf
hAfilccfec^ /■! kcuTL 'too CcrvvCrcrf erf
r ameajBSX* he WcU) 'AO vi^W-Ts jrmvA -m.e w\a iwo-|«
h3 dcxC^^t^UM-vi CMT^ 6 O <rni 1/1-1 ct c,c^l
CvLObUYULA^J t'VC/’lfc.
7 fii_*
K>% ^ y ^y
K V^\
'VC
Hay 23rd, 1312
Llr. Edison!
In accordance with request, wo have today cabled Hr. Dyer,
the Berlin Office, as follows:
"Dyer: Inform liomiot, Borenann that Lisman left
for Berlin yesterday. Have not cade any contracts. Hone
will he made for traction unless lionnot protected. I have
no control of Bench. He has no rights from me in Europe.
Lisman Looming oar Business here."
\VS / C
F. .1. Lismax &Co.
B^VSICERS
Niw'VoRK May 25, 3 912.
/
\/
A
sty
Mr. Thomas A. Edison,
Orange, 8. J.
Dear Mr. Edison:
We are in receipt of your favor of the 23d inst.,
addressed to our Mr. Lisman, and note therefrom that at a
Directors' Meeting of your company to he called in the near
future you "/ill have a resolution passed to the effect that,
if the RAILWAY STORAGE BATTERY CAR COMPANY carries out its
contract with the FEDERAL STORAGE BATTERY CAR COMPANY or
Mr. Beach, the first named company shall always he able to
get your batteries.
When this resolution is passed, will you kindly
send us a certified copy of same, and oblige,
Very truly yours^;
« X?
Y.’G/ERM
\
l
txO-e- •oftj?- j / e C- jS <■-
£«. lit C~i<~-t>~/C'C'
> T£l£gr. : TONNOM-PARIS
ACCUMULATORS EDISON
JOHN F. MONNOT M.E - A.S.M.E.
Seul Concessionnaire
ACCUMULATEURS
e-jem/lp.
Thomas A*. Edison, Esq.,
ORANGE, N.J.,
My dear Mr- Edison,
On my return from Berlin, where I was with Mr.
Dyer as you know, I found your letter of May 16th last and noted
contents. Mr. Dyer has communicated to me the contents of your
cable to him stating that you had made no contract and will make none
for traction unless I am protected? I thank you very much for your
attention in this matter.
Until I got your letter I did not know, what was going on* be¬
cause I had met Mr. Doty in London, who told me he was over here to
secure Mr. Bergmann’s plant in Berlin for Mr. Beach and Lisman, to
whom you had given the Exclusive right of the battery for rail trac¬
tion in Europe. It is for this reason that Mr. Dyer cabled you to
find out the trufth. I am glad you have not concluded definitive
arrangements with Mr. Lisman, because it would seriously interfer
with the work I have already done here and in England. I have in¬
terested a number of tramway companies and I am now negotiating with
the London County Counsel tramways who are operating all the tramways
of the city. They are very much interested and are prepared taput
t£e trial car on their lines as soon as I can get one ready.
2.
i Thomas A. Edison, Esq.
date.. . 1116118 s .
•As i' wrote you previously Beach had promised me to send me some
first cars and not being able to get anything from hiny&K- a long time
I am going ahead to have the cars built here, retaining the main prin¬
ciple, that is to build light and reduce all frictions as much as pos¬
sible. I have adopted the four wheel drive with gearing all incased
in oil and entirely protected which I think better than the Beach de¬
sign. I can assure you that I am fully able to devejbope the traction
of your battery in Europe on the lines we have talked over several
times and that I can secure here all the cooperation necessary. I
would therefore be very greatful to you if you would let me follow up
my plans and refer to me any proposition that could be made to you
for the European market. More I will develope the business over
here more you are likely to have propositions coming to you direct,
which will be the result of my work, and being on the spot I can
determine if there is any advantage in entertaining them.
I saw Mr. Lisman in London last week and had a long talk with
him. I explained him fully what I have done and asked him what
where his plans. He told me he had not made any as yet and was in¬
vestigating the situation, but that his main object was to buy or
Kase none paying tram-lines and equip them with battery cars and
sell the bonds and expected to be able to do the same thing in Paris.
He said also that he did not know that I was developing the rail trac¬
tion and that I had done so much work on it already. I told him that
it would be better that he leaves the question of getting the cars
built in England and Prance in my hands as I had already the technioal
organization for that. He could then organize his expectation compa-
nj^and I would furnish him the battery cars through the builders who i
are taking the matter up with me. He said again that having no de-
3. m Thomas A. Edison, Esq.. . . — date. H’6'12.
finitive plans he would take up this matter with me when in Paris next
week and that in the meantime he would do nothing without consulting
me. I do not think advisable to give any exclusivity for the rail
traction as it may ant^f^fisslse the local manufacturers who are dis¬
posed to go into the matter and may reduce the sale of the battery.
I am convinced that I can get better results in being able to
sell batteries to the manufacturers of approved designs of cars and
get their cooperation. If Mr. Lisman will enter in my views he can
certainly help to the developement of rail traction by financing some
none paying lines and equip them with battery cars, and I hope I will
be able to get him to work on this plan.
Iflhen I talked to Mr. Lisman about Doty being in Berlin to secure
Bergmann’ s prranr plant for him, he told me that he did not know him
and did not want to have anything to do with him, and he did not think
he wanted the plant at all. TThen I saw Mr. Bergmann last with Mr.
Dyer he asked me if I was prepared to make him a final proposition,
but I told him that I had as yet no answer from you on this max|lt^
I would therefore be much obliged if you would let me know what are
your wishes and if I can make any arrangement on the lines I have
suggested in my previous letters. I am of the opinion that there is
a great interest to get this business out of his hands as he is doing
more harm than good and it is a pity to see the way this business iB
handled.
Doty earner back to l>aris yesterday and told me he was going back
to New York to interest some other people in Bexgmann's plant as he
saw that he could not do anything with Lisman. On my part I do not
see any reason of letting the plant go in other hands and with your
permission I can make an arrangement with Bergmann to ltdse his plant
4.
Thomas A. Edison, Esq,.
date-1116112,
with option to purchase and run it more economically to supply the
requirements in batteries over the part of Europe I have written you
about .
I have created quite an interest on the Edison Battery and have
several manufacturers who are going to go into the building of elec-
trio vehicles and we can expect to get a large business in Europe but
it wants some time to get the cars out as everjtfhing has to be done,
the battery traction being absolutely dead and it take a lot of work
to revive it.
I do not wish to bother you with a lot of details, but you can
be sure that I am doing everything possible to promote the business.
If you will have enough confidence in me^et me carry out my plans f I
am sure that^ihe end you will be fully satisfied.
I received to-day a letter from Mr. Meadoworoft of May 29th en¬
closing letter from Mr. Albanise and a pamphlet on* concrete houses
requesting me in your name to warn the people connected with Messrs.
Harms & Small that they have no patents, and have only taken your
ideas which you wished everybod#y will benefit of. I will take up
this matter and do all in my power to carry out your instructions.
Hoping to be favored with your news,
I remain,
With best regards,
Tours sincerely,
.Tuns Sttth, 1013,
Mr. J5cli so n , —
Russia needs a vary largo number of storage
■batteries for firing their submarine mines. They require
3'i volts. Our Type B-P. (Jell is large enough. Thirty
Type $-2 11s would he sr.tisf actory for each circuit..
They wish to make some tests for this work,
not to extend o^or nix months. They wish me to lend them
thirty Type R-P, (Jells for sir. months, at the end of
vrhioh time, if the cells arc satisfactory for their
purpose, they will buy them and place a large order.
Fox very urgently recommends that v/e supply
those cells for tost. Do you object?
Hutch.
June 21, 1912.
Thomas A. Edison, Esq.,
Care Edison’s Laboratory,
Orange, N.J.
My Lear Edison:
X have been asked by
some of my English friends to get information
about the Beech storage battery oar. Can
you give me any information on the subject?
Yours truly
■Cc-C-L U-LC'ltt
1- ' I
t\A.
r
<e
C. c*Aj
^_^tf&.*i*w***** "*******
uJ0
Thie letter was aooompanied by statements
showing the entire business transacted from the commencement
up to the 30th of June last. The particulars inoluded the
total amount of Storage Battery Celle shipped from Orange
to London and Paris, the amount of sales made from the
London Offioe before the business was transferred to Mr.
J. F. Monnot, the firm sales made by Mr. J. F. Monnot both
at London and Paris, the number of cells on consignment at
London and Paris, the quantities returned and the present
stock at London and Paris; in fact these statements will
give a complete history of the business in all details.
We are now handing you herewith a statement
showing the subsequent business up to the end of the Snd
week in July, and from now on we will furnish a similar
statement weekly, so that you will be able to follow the
developments as closely as you desire.
During the fortnight ending July 13th no returns
were made, so that none are indicated on the statement, but
in future we shall indicate the cells returned from firm
Bale or consignments at the foot of each section, deducting
17.7.13.
H. F. Miller Esq., *3*
these returns from the grpes sal# and leaving the nett quan¬
tities aB totals for the week.
Ho douht Ur. Frank L. Dyer will Paesalongto
as* SSiX
forward them.
Yours truly,
RATIONAL
JOGRAPH.CO. LTD.,
^(vJiUviV’
Assistant General Managed.
52610
August 1st, 1912.
I. ir, peul H. Cromelln,
Jjannging Pirector,
Edison ranuflaoturlng Co., Ltd.,
Vlllesilen Junction, London, V.',, Eng.
Lear Sir: —
X have before me your letter without date addressed to
J. :r. Lyer, together with otatemente attached; alno l!r. vagaer'n letter dated
July 17th, addrenned to me, all having reference to the London and parle
consignment stocks of Ed In on Storage Patterlos.
i:r. Dyer has asked me to communicate with you with refer¬
ence to this matter, and for your information would state that we have checked
the nhlpmontn of batteries forwarded to London and Paris, and find, so for
as shipments are concerned, that all agree with your statement as forwarded.
I would, however, refer you to sheet A. 7Te find an error of L 258,6.8. in
your footing, the correct amount should be L 7414.14.8 instead of L 7073.1,4.
On sheet E on error of $8.20 is made in footing the royalty; this amount should
be £225,90 instead of £217.70.
After deducting the sales from the shipments made to London
and Paris, to end including Juns 30th, 1912, and also taking in consideration
the number of cells out on trial, we find that the oombined stock shows a bal¬
ance on hand of 204 B-2, 269 3-4, 120 B-6, 813 A-4, 238 A-6, 200 A-8, 26 A-8-H,
120 A-10 and 120 A-12 oelle.
Hie oombined sale amounts to £6015.00, against which we have
reoeived remittance, in amount $3968.60, leaving a balance duo of $1046.60.
62610-”. II. 0. 2.
in try loiter of Hoy 20th i asked you to give full details
oowrlng the numbor and typo of each coll, oto., which your renittnnoeo oovorod,
oral again broufjit this cotter to your attention in ry letter doted July loth,
but at thin writing the information hao not been rooolved. Eofore propor orodlt
oon bo rendered to the consignment account for the Material soldo wo met lwve
full arivioo in order that too material cay bo credited to your conaignwmt
acoount and ohorced to your current aooount and proper credit renderod oovorlng
remittancoe received to your ourrent account.
notwithstanding 8re fact that your statement shows a aub-
stantlal number of cello in stook at T.ontlon end pario, in recent letters re¬
ceived from Hr. Honnot, he advieen that ho io entirely out of E-2, 3-4 and
A-6 colln. V'c have at the present tier ordorn pending for tho following nnt-
erlal : —
For shipment to London, 204 !?-£. 100 B-4 and 220 5-6 oollo
•• •' " Paris, 120 3-2, 120 B-4 and 120 A -6 "
Wo expect to ehip to London 160 B-2 and 100 B-0 cells, next week,
and further shipments to London and ''Or in will bo trade Just as rapidly no pon-
aiblo.
We end one hcrovdth our ntatecent showing batteries shlppod
to London, saloo made freer London end stock on hands also shipneitn to Fnrlo,
onion mode fron parte and oted: on hands tote! saleo from London and Paris, to¬
tal aaount of remittancen received and belonao duo. Vo have received tire fol low¬
ing rcnlttencee ngalnst this oonoignmont account :~
M»y 20th, £2267.63
July 25th, 1700.97
a total of £3968.50, but no details accompanied either romittnnoe. ?art of tlreae
reBittanooef we undorotand, covers saleo Bade fron London prior to Hr. Honnot
taking over your stock, and part representing goods odd from conoignrent otoolc
by Hr. I'onnot . ’.Vo shall be pleased to have you check up our statement with your
books, sending i» the lnforcrrtlon desired in reference to remittances received.
B2610-I*. H. 0. 2.
and would ask you to kindly forward further remittances pron^tly end also send
us regular reports of all eslos made at London and Paris, In order that wo may
he kept fully Info mod as to the conditions of stocks at Paris and London.
Awaiting your further favors, I beg to remain.
Very truly yours,
manager, Foreign Department.
AO-Y.'S-Eno.
J. P. MOJMOT. I.li% Edison ■ Week ending Auk: 3rd 1912.
Shipment
Bate Bill
Firm Sales. London.
Steel
34 B6 A4 A6 A8 AlO A12 Cases Rlty Hi so. B S B
Mil.
On Consignment, London.
Brought forward from
July 27 17 36
6 170
2 78.70 519. 4. 7.
Tfirm Sales, Paris.
Week ending
Aug: 3 64
1.40
11.10. 1.
On Consignment, Paris.
Brought forward from
July 27 5
72
1. .1. Li SMATV X: Co. / — L'jiai
i.NiwYttBK AUR.2P.,
<** 4* "yy
,,.y
%
,y
Tbos.A .Kdison, Bsq. ,
Ornnge.H. J.-
Dear Sir:- ^
I herev/ith hand you copy of letter received i rom our
friend? in Germany a? to the test to which the batteries are to he
emitted over there. I have not attested to translate the
letter , because I do not feel my knowledge of the technique of
electricity is sufficient. Ho doubt you have in your employ a
number of young Germans who could do this job very much better
than I could.
Kindly let me have your suggestions as to what else the
batteries should be tested for. All this is Doing done with a
vie* of overcoming the old reputation the battery has acquired
over there during the last few years, as turned out by Bergman.
I have n sited lir '.Beach to talk to you again about the
South American matter as I feel that the minimum you have put on
for the third and fourth year will scare our English friends off.
I would like to point out to you that while these people are not
putting in much money, they are amongst the most influential people
in South American affairs and can do more to spread the use of the
batteries than anyone else you can think of. At the same time if
put on too much of a minimum they will shy off and I could not do
anything nt all. They are the people you really want and I think
T.A .15.-2-
therefore, it would ho in your own interest
siltnUon squarely. I am personally under t
you nre over estimating the Elouth Amerionn r,
nothin? is manufactured down there, end nil
or other electricnl appliances would nil he
United States or Kurope.
Kindly let me hear i'rom you on ti
Very truly yours
ijj you would meet the
;he impression thnt
mrkot, hecnnso
trucks, velii cl es
imported from the
.is, and ohli.-e,
enclosure.
JAy friends
German trade journal
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
-2-
li’irst Year . 400 A 6 cello,
Second " . 4000 A 6 cells,
jail'd " . 9000 A 6 cells,
Fourth " . 15000 A 6 cells
Fifth " ond thereafter . 20000 A 6 cells
The contract is to he for fifteen years.
The average price of the batteries is $13.50 for A. 4- 150
amp capacity others in proportion.
In case it so desires in any one year, the company may instead of
purchasing bn.tteries pay -a. cash price equal to 10,‘i oi the list price of
said battert-o as a penalty, hut still maintain its contract.
It takes shout 100 A 6 cells to propel a car, seating say 30
people, for a distance of 50 miles. The Chesapeake A Ohio R.R. recently
bought a cor to seat about 60 people, which contained 200 A 8 cells.
You will, therefore see that the minimum is very reasonable when the
various purposes for which the batteries are available are considered.
Tiie minimum above mentioned, applies to all lotteries purchased,
whether for tram earn or anything else.
I -would like to direct your attention to the fact that one of the
great uses for the battery is for train lighting. A number of our
large American railroad systems, like the Illinois Central, for
instance, use nothing but the Edison bo.ttery for that purpose. The
Pennsylvania R.R. and Union Pacific R.R. are .just about entering into
similar contracts.
The Edison battery for large cars weigh a ton less for each car
than thelead battery, ond you will realise how much this saves a
railroad, when you remember that the average po.ssenger carriage on
steam railroads runs a.bout 50,000 miles per annum.
<k—
/ ‘
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
For electric automobiles, for motor purposes and for Gasolene
oars for a ighting purposesiji within a fev; years nothing else will he used
but the Edison battery on account of reliability and permanency.
The use3 for the battery are too numerous to mention.
Hr Edison's reason for not desiring to give the exclusive right
for purposes other than for cars moving on rails is based on the
following excellent reason: A great many orders come to him from
export commission houses in Hew York, who ship goods all over the
world, and if Kr Edison attempted to say to these people that they
allowed to
ild be
ship goods
•/ you n copy
Bench to mo nnd see you end
sent to our' friends nbrond canoe mine the 3ot
.,ldo letter ?.e f e r tej ae to the J.'.onnot business
I .70 ul d have come over myself,
Detroit, tJhicnso, etc. prncti cully nil of next week nnd I wo-,
in the menmvhile like
re Booth Amer i on .
’ letter
)i;t I shell he in
, your npprovnl of the letter sent
Very truly yours,
y- lit
r P ,WJ'U*
(J.' ;,j ]VV • y ? y
y i K* 4' c"
f\,tA j & (\, -<v.
> i:
-1 # ,
4V,'.
r
y
Dear Tir.Bdison:-
Referring to our conversation of the 18th
would like to have you confirm the understanding, in
with which:
First: If Mr.Monnot, whose action in coming forward to
make you a proposition to take the European rights for the
battery has been stimulated by our activity, should fail to make
good on his proposition to put up $100*000 in cash as a guarantee
that he will huy a certain minimum amount of batteries aggregating
5.000 batteries per month, then we are to immediately have the
right to exploit the storage battery abroad, and are to be' given
a reasonable time to form a company or the necessary organization
for that purpose.
Second: We understand you have given your ^representative
in Paris, Mr. Fox, instructions to take several batteries to
the Government Testing Bureau at Chari o.ttenburg, this being
done at the suggestion of our representative in Germany, Messrs.
Gebruder Li smann, Goethe St. Frankfurt A.M. , who will cooperate
with us, with a view of forming a company to take over the
Bergman interests. We understand Mr. Fox will receive instructions
to report to these people the result of the Investigation.
Third: We are at work on the readjustment of our
contract with the Federal Storage Battery Company, which is
«r .Beach's company, with a view of financing a five car trial
T.A.E.-2-
t.rpJn for both the Erie and Illinois Central Railways. It Is
understood that simultaneously with our agreeing to do this,
youvwill give a contract to the Federal Storage Battery Company,
giving them the exclusive right to use the battery for cars moving
on rails for five years, with the agreement that after that,
period they shall always be Sure of getting the batteries at ns
low a price as sold to anyone else for the same purpose.
Kindly confirm this and oblige,
Very truly yours,
Thos.ASEdison.Esq. , a;>.
Orange, N. J.
K .1. Lis>ia>- & Co.
We herewith hand you tT'annlatlon of letter received
by up today from Germany, which explains iteelf.
We would thank you if you would give thie matter prompt
attention, because the writer expects to leave for Europe early
next week.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
Messrs. p. J.LJ sman & Co.,
New York, N.Y.
Beer Slrs;-
Prankfurt A.M. ,
Sept. 11,1912.
F. .T. .Li:s>nv3f & Co.
BASS’ItlSKS
NWYOKK Oot. . 1, 1912.
Dear Mr.Bdison:-
Bef err ing to the vnrious conversations between u0. as
well as to your conversnti one with Mr.Beach, I wish to say that l'
^ leaving for Burope. tonight and that Mr .Beach expects to see you
this afternoon a,d to send to the eteamer h* special delivery or
messenger. a letter of introduction and also of instruction to
Mr. Fox, in accordance with which he is to notify me or my agents
of the results of the investigations on part of the German
Government Testing Bureau concerning your battery.
I would also thank you if you would write me a letter
agreeing that you will not deal with anybody for the Bergman situatior
or that you will not allow Mr .Bergman to assign his rights to anybody
but ourselves or nominee until April 1st, 1913.
While I have a good deal of election for your good self,
this, however, is a business matter. 1 have been of considerable
eervi ce to you in getting a, good proposition from Mr.Monnot and
getting left myself and I naturally do not want this to happen again
in the Bergman case, and I do not think you would like to see it
happen.
I have also agreed to finance Mr.Beach’ s experimental
train for the Brie, and I think you ought in Justice to Mr.Bench
end ourselves give Mr.Beach promptly the contract promised to him
him of bell
able
buy the battery
aft.erwa rdo.
We have all
for construction of o'
the same purpose and
we think you ought to
cons jderati on.
Tbos . A.Edl son.Ust).. ,
furnished Hr.^eaoh with about $150,000
we expect to Rive him $100, OuO more
view of this large fi nano ini undortaki
ive this matter your immediate support
Very truly yours-.
You understand what he wants about Bergmann. If you do not
understand - what he really wants is that in the event that Bergmann
fails to carry out his contract with you, that he, Li smart, shall have
an opportunity to take up Bergmann's contract and go ahead with the
business in the sane territory that Bergmann is operating in.
In regard to Mr. Monnot, Mr. Usman believes that Monnot will
not make good. I have no idea why he believes this. Perhaps it is "The wi
is the father of the thought". In any event, ho wants you to tell him
that in case Monnot does fall down that you will let him go ahead as he
originally intended with the business in Europe , all tho time as far as
the territory outBide of Bergmann goe3 only for the railroad business.
In regard to tho last two clauses of the letter, there is no
immediate necessity to do anything. I will see you whenever you wish to
talk it over.
rkb/gbw
Enclosures.
October 24, 1912
Edition , t-tercmn , Kaohman and l.ea:«
I have a lei tor from •'r. 3. V. orsiot
from which I extract" an follows:
".I hove had niy toiln:- full since i:iy return.
Wave hah the chase ie 1 purchased for the.
next Automobile how filtered , ftf- I had to
make numerous Irani.-.1 orau? lionet on them to
Cot them in ruape to tele the reach
tod Lor. which in the only taint that sella over
hero, nobody liken the /'mcrioan body.
"I have Juet got u few new orders which will
lend to now burinenn. L have solo a one- ton
van to an electric corporation in ..ngiand.
X nl.no secured an order from the (Son oral
l!o at office loot v.eek, oi London, for a
low truck for delivering the nail hugs from
the train pir.tfor.n to the host i ff ice, on;!
if this in, auceosr ful , wo will hove an order
for a few honored of them. This track X an
building in ;nylnnd.
"Ae ’.vc wanted an >ntiliiih reference on the
battery .for the Great southern httilv/ay, ray
london Gales Lanafjev wrote to one of our
firBt cub toners - Mr. Kentor n. ’’.orrison,
brother of the aviator, who hah purohannri
already from us six batteries, anti here is
liin answer:
•As you c.slc me wlint '=y f-xperionoc
has been with your battery, which
has been in use nov; for r.orao
eight months, I can only say that
it has been absolutely satisfact¬
ory in every way, and X am so
pleased with it that I want you -
to put ih hand at once another
300 empere hour set for me. This,
I think, will prove that X am quite
a convert to your non-acid type
of cell, bishine you every success,
fours truly,
"The battery he has &c uoeu for house
lighting, and X think that this is a pretty
good reference.
“The- only thine io, with all the oeles
I have made (which are for delivery in
a short time) I am Going to he entire¬
ly out of stock, and X do not eee that
they are shipping our orders from Orange.
I hope they will soon clear up all of my hack
orders, as they are urgently needed.”
:,i, r. imyoHigoh.
TlOi ENGLISH SYNDICATE.
Amongst the syndicate are the f ollowii
y^SSSBSi
Those marked 1 2 * 4
would he directors of the company.
■, rollett Hall (X) Chairman Entre Rios R.K. Co.,
Director C-t. Western of Brasil R.R.Oo,,
Director Cordova Central Ry.Co., etc., etc.
Vice-president Argentine R.R.Oo. , (owing or controlling
several thousand miles of line in Argentina) etc.,
V. Branford (X) Acting Chairman Paraguay Cent R.R.Oo.,
Chairman Asuncion Tramway Ry.Bt.h Power Co.,
S. f. ilendl (X)
J.^Heslop (X)
Director of the Argentine h.R.Co. , , 'litre :ios
Deputy Chairman of the Rational Discount Co.
Director of the Paraguay Central Ry.Co.
late Manager of a Chilian Railway Co.
Senior partner of Heslop 11 egg, South American
Merchants.
Director of the Bahia (Brazil) Gas Co. , etc.
(1) Nr. Edison to stipulate with all purchasers for export not to
sell in South. America.
(2) Mo minimum for first six months (or nine months?)
(o) A few Batteries for demonstration purposes in South .America.
(4) Could Edison xtocowinend .v. young American engineer to go as the
special agent of the company to. South America.
Edison General File Series
1912. Battery, Storage - Foreign - Bergmann, Sigmund (E-12-18)
This folder contains correspondence and other documents relating to
the commercial development of Edison's alkaline storage battery in Germany
and Austria-Hungary under the auspices of Sigmund Bergmann head of the
failing Deutsche Edison-Akkumulatoren-Co. in Berlin. Most of the
correspondence is between Edison and Bergmann. Among the documents for
1912 are letters concerning the proposed sale of Bergmann's battery works
and visits to the Berlin works by A. J. Doty of the Edison Storage Battery Co.
and John F. Monnot, representative of the Edison company in Great Britain
and parts of Europe. Some letters indicate Bergmann's relationship with
stockholders, the Deutsche Bank, and competitors such as Allgemeine
Elektricitats-Gesellschaft and Siemens & Halske.
All of the documents have been selected except letters of transmittal,
duplicates, and variant versions of selected items.
Stephen Niedermayer,
f" 87 -ICth . A vo.,
Newark , ii . Jm's, abb. I5t.h4 18.
,ffc‘
Pear Sir;-
M
I take the liberty in asking to have ap jpt^. e n'v i ew
with you in regards to your Stprage Battery. ^{<1 f
As I have been employed in your Plant Vat |;e^|tS'8rang'p
N.J. as a mechanic and I am well aware of the fact that this
battery is the Pest, existing I presume I have a very interest
4ng proposition :im. this manner, /
On the twenty fourth day of this month l am leaving
Newark, N.J. to accept a position as a lister Jtoohanic in
the tool room of The 7/estinghouse system Out.o 7.'o rks at
Ar at , Hungary , Europe .
T think that I see a posible way to introduce your
Battery in Arat Hungary as I speak the language.
In expectation of a favorable reply. ,
I beg to remain.
1 Sk./tenT
Mr. H. E. Miller, Secretary,
Laboratory of Thomas A. EdiBon,
Orange, lf.J. - U.S.A.
Dear Sir:-
We are duly in receipt of your letter of March 12th,
addressed to our Director General, Mr. Bergmann, in reference to
a hill for # 262.50 for Mr* and Mr8' Roe«r8*
in connection with this we beg to state that the
original bill was turned over to the Deutsche Edison Akkumula^
toren Co. and the amount of same was credited to Mr. Thomas A.
Edison's account. Actual settlement has, however, not been made
up to the present, .but payment will be effected within the
course of the next few days.
Yours very truly,
Secretary.
Deutsche
€dison- Jtkkumulatoren-Company
£*. m. b. 7j.
Bank-Gonto :
Deutsche Dank. DerHn.
Zetegramm-Jtdresse:
€disoncel/.
2erRn J2„ den
f)rontheimerslr. 35*38.
fernsprech-jflnschluss :
Jtmt 2. Jfo. 873.
The
laboratory of Thoraae A. E d i a o n ,
jl J). G Code (V± u. S’± edition)
and Sitter's Code used.
Hff/Kl
Betr. ; Buchhaltung:
Orange H. J. U.S.A.
Unter Bezugnahrae auf Ihre rait Herrn Geheinrat S.Bsrgmam
gof'ihrte Correapondenz teilon irir Ihnsn mit.daaa wir die Deutaahe
Bank Berlin beauftragt haben, Ihnen
Boll. 262,50 in Check a/]lew-York
zu uberweiaen.^elchen Betrag Sie zum Auagleich Ihrer Refi hnung
Tom 31. Bszember 19o9 unter Anzeige an uns verwenden wollen.
Ho chaohtungeyo 11
fiwfcto EdisaihiLklfiiiiiiiiiiOi sii-Companj
PERSONAL
[p. ThomaB A. Edison,
Lldwellyn Park, Orange, E.J.
U.S.A.
ify dear Edison s-
I have to-day telegraphed you
•Doty arr ives Berlin twentyeeyenth what Proportion
can your, party make. Monnot inspected plant favorably
impresoed. Wire"
and in connection therewith would at ate that I bave just **0®^'"
-ed a cable from Doty ad vis Ing that he will arrive here on the
27th.
I trust, however, that Will see your way clear to make
us a proposition to take £his off our hands and I endeavor
to keep Doty waiting until 1 have word from you. I am willing
to sell this plant even at a great loss.
As you will doubtless have heard, I have had my hands
full during the last three or four months • Thanks he repave
simply refused to give us any more money.Weextendedour works
with the expectation that money would be forthcoming from the
banks, as has been tha case in the past, but were sadly mista¬
ken.
Rathe nau and Siemens instigated systematic intrigues
against me at the banks, seeing that they could “°t *•«**• “
m far as technic, construction and manufacturing is concerned,
and the banka, having bigger interests in Siemens and A.l.G.
and greater gains tried to strangle me and turn sy whole works
over to ny antagonists.
BERGMANN ELECTRICAL WORKS (machine department).
Ur. Thomas A. Edison.
4/17/12.
You wiU recolleot that I told you when you were
over here that the prices were eimply rotten. Well, my compe¬
titors, who have been millring the oows for the last twenty
years and who are in manyinstances their own customers, Be¬
sides having hig reserves, could naturally stand this much
better than we could.
To mate a long story short , I want to say that
a desparate fight followed and while our dividends will he re¬
duced considerably, 1 have been successful in having our capi¬
tal increased, and thus can keep ay works going.
We have nade a definite arrangement with the Sie¬
mens concern to wodt hani in hand with them and I am satis¬
fied that this waB the oniy way out of our great dilemma. Our
independence will be maintained, but we will cooperate with
Siemens , so far as regulating the prices and turnover is con¬
cerned.
I am relieved to be able to say that 1 «m over
the hill now and sailing in quiet waters again and should never
like to experience euch a hard struggle again in my life.
So now, My pear Edison, if you can help me out
in this battery trouble, it will be appreciated more now than
ever before, as this is ons of the sores which the Deutsche
Baric ascribe to me, for many years. They simply accuse me of
swindling them abeolutely and having induced them to put mo¬
ney into the bifctery business under false pretenses.
you know, as well as I do, that this is not a
fact, as I have msrself invested over #300,000.-- cash in i
the battery plant.
I learned from Mr. Monnot that you are making
great headway with the battery in America and that you have
extended your works considerably. Eor your own sake, I am
glad that you are coming out All Right.
With best wishes, I am
LCD Edison New^York . ° Doty Arrives barlin twenty seventh what proposition
can your party make monnot inspected plant favorable impressed wire.
Bergman Berlin
844 AM
C*J»4 P™* vj.ru fo**
^ u A,JT<Um <*o ^
V ^
April 18, 1112
Kr. Harry '.'iller:
I hand you herewith original cable
from Bagman addressed to Edison Itev, York, and in accordance
with your instructions re. have cabled to Beignan at Berlin
as follows:
"Cublo lowest prico you will take net. V/ill see
rhat 1 can do. Will keep it soflfidenulal .
(.
CBNew York Apl 18-18
Thos A Edison Orange NJ.
TiCn Edison NY.no you want price including ground building
and powerplant wire .
Bergraann
Berlin
943 AM
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
c^V> tc.
Gpv.. -2.-1.
f*';
toice -ha«L ^on. Wvcvv\v^\-<ve.+^'^^
O4o, ftVoe-t
M, W«dt«^a£ , C.Rtw^.co.e o«.A^fte! bw>
_e 4. -Vuu-O ^w^.cUi.«.S
wV^o*** te~i«-«»*^e| O^d. po«^. pe-cws.+ -
-^aw^o-v-A duoeto^S.
p4c^t2>
" - '
T2 a ■ P„^. lo.+ya-^- */w/ iv
ft
; \ - 3* Ll><- O u/i>
pc*->nX<^
J/ulC. SOj/cjii.
<3 pu-JU .'I'VVcl-u
Q^tWL UScU i^-CTMvi
(,o£cUC. assist I f , rXv i-J " iC
y C<LU«J
Machine Department
"Tf!/ f6™
Bnry/EMR- |
My dear TMiaoat-
to a® awl * *•»
▼ery ®lad If ?'
.
ie^saSTt’a- ^swm&s
'tpleawtlu » wh*t it really «ean».
«r and find
you credit. Therefor it «*«#» to me
and graafc p&aC tr* n®0?!®ri_ir-i< *+«m without >our knowledgec
that thio fetter
Awaiting your reply, I am
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
BeJanTeie^S^ Dept M, Be*.
Enclosure to our letter
^&U**** a'
. H -yf -
' . . f V
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
Nir.VKR L.AKK. N. J. June 14 1912.
Deutsche Edison Akkumulatorem Co.
Berlin, Germany.
Gentlemen: -
• Fer instructions of Mr. Edison we regret to inform you
that we oannot fill the balance of your order for Iron Mix
until your account with us is settled.
We trust you can make full payment at once.
Yours truly,
EFTFOW CHEMICAL WORKS.
JVM/JEH. Per. y.
O'
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
STAT,r.M,ENT
Edison Storage Battery Co.
ORANGE, N. J.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
STATEMENT
Edison Storage Battery Co.
orange, N. J.
f.
■ & ■ 'Cdx^en^
Ccky^ ^U/Crvus ~>£^~ ^ia^CC
XuJtrO? £Ln -cJ' -^sUL'C- ^UrC- Cc^u-1-
6 ( I Ts
. (° OlX-cJl <t C&Ari*- 0.^-
August 14th 1912.
Mr* Harry Miller:
Referring to order #1648 of the Deutsche Edison
Akkumulatoren Co., dated June 17th, for 100,000 right and
100,000 left, we can begin to make shipment of these tubes
Septehiier 1st.
50,000 on September 1st, and 60,000 additional
each fifteen days.
c. t*fT
August llSth, 1912.
Mr. Harry Hiller:
In accordance wi th your instruc¬
tions we are cabling today to Edison Cell, Berlin,
SB follows:
"Will ship September 1st 50,000
and seme amount every fifteen
days thereafter".
My dear Edison:
Many thanks for your prompt attention to ny per¬
sonal letter and I note -that the Edison Sfc»age battery (Jo. has
credited the Deutsche Edison Co. for $9300.--. "further, we are
wery pleased to learn that the Edison Storage Co. proposes to
ship 50,000 tubes by September 1st and make regular shipments
biweekly of 50,000 tubes from that date onwards- IJJjis will help
us very considerably in keeping things humming at our end.
X have not heard anything further from Hr. Usman
since his last call here. Has he conferred with you concerning
his plans ? Please let me know what hiB intentions are and whe¬
ther there is any prospect of his scheme feeing realized ? I
understand that Hr. Monnot has been over to see you and should
esteem it a special favor if you would keep me informed in re¬
gard to any changes which take place relative to your storage .
battery business in Europe.
With very best wishes,
UR STEVENS:*
I beg to encloeo, herewith, a cable from Berlin, reading:
SEUDBRIEF Have you shipped
PROiasEi) ironmix
HEALTHY Hurry forward all you poeeibly oan.
TALCIUU Tologrnph us
EDI 8(3! CELL
Kuch wont ad hero
J t-Iillar
Berlin rs.,
September 9th, 1912.
::t. GcCfc.^
Mr. Thoms A. Edison, v
Llewellyn Park, Orange,
V. S. A.
My dear EdisonJ- . J
Owing to the continual and never-ceasing los¬
ses incurred in connection with the Deutsche Edison Company,
the Board of Directors and the Banks interested have decided
to convene a general meeting of the shareholders at
i Tuesday. September 24th,
with a view to proposing that the capital
reduced hy one-half, with the object of e
the Battery Company has had up to the pre
you are hereby formally invited to attnnd
of this company be
liminating the losses
sent, which meeting
In accordance with the terms of the agreement, dated /
September 28th, 1905, entered into with you, I should be °*>liEsd;
if you would give your consent that the nominal capital of the /
Deutsche Edison Company, Jng Jo.^D0p-|00ajiarks , Of^nich
86* has been paid-upy-ahourd'be reduced to 1,500,000. Marks, ^.^d
in order that thiB may reach us in time for the General Meeting',
which, as I have said before, takes place on the 24th inst., j
. • b *
Vow York, fioptombor 12, 1912.
t!U 5TKVEHS!”
Enoloood, herewith, we
, bon to hand you e onblo iron Berlin, readings
ACfflOH&l Flenet send nn
UliErlSCH Soptorabar 5th
ED1S«IC;IX
nnewer to our telograoi ol
iwV
, 1^
w
Sept. 13/1912.
Mr. H. Uillen-
In nooordanoe with your inetruotiona we hev* sab lad Edieonoell,
Berlin, a« followei
"Shipped 60000 tube* September 6th. will chip 600 pound* lromslx esoh week
beginning tomorrow. EDISON."
September 19, 1912.
3. Borgmann, Esq.,
O/o Borgmann Electrical Works,
23-32 Oundonaraorstr. ,
Berlin, Germany.
Bear Mr. Borgmann:
Your letter of the 9th inst. to Mr. Edison
has been referred to me and he haB asked me to oablo you his
consent to the reauotion in the oapital stock of the Boutscho
Edison Company provided that I saw no objection to this being
done. As I do not see any objection to the reduction in the
oapital, I have cabled you to-day as follows:
"Answering yours ninth instant, consent
reduction oapital to one million five hundred thou¬
sand Marks."- Edison."
Yours very truly.
fid/imv
y"
€d/son
Deutsche Bank. Bc/in.
t'logranim-Jtdresse:
€disoncell.
T)eutsche
- jGkkumu/atoren- Company
Q. m. b. 7j.
tpk
j j I 2ert,n J3, rf«,3ept • ... *th, 1912
fcrnsprech -JJnschluss :
Jtmt 2. Jfo. 373.
j*. £. C God* (h<± u. J» edition)
and Sitter's Code used.
Bnr/HIE
Bin ochre iben Registered
Mra Thomas A. Idieon,
Llewellyn Park,
Orange, W.J.-
U.ft.A.
My dear Xdlson t-
Aa we hare previously notified you, our General
Stockholders' Meeting took plaoe on Tuesday, September 24th mad.
and the conclusion was reached that we are not in a position to
accept the large orders which the Prussian State Railways have
promised us in oonneotion with multiple unit cars. The State
authorities are perfectly satisfied that the Xdlson Battery should
he given a fair trial ana hence, they are willing to pass us an
order for three or four oars, Mounting to about 160,000 to 200,000
marks.
The prospects of our receiving contracts for batteries
for train-lighting purpose* are also very favorable. Ails scheme
of train-lighting has been universally adopted end at the pre¬
sent the lead batteries are used exclusively in this field. Pur-
thermore the electric automobile proposition is looming up again,
but, as you know, the lead battery people are very keen and under¬
take extensive guarantees to keep us out of this particular line
of business.
Mow you will realise that if ws aoocpt these orders
from the Government it will necessitate fresh capital, but this
the peutsohe Bank has refused absolutely. With the exception of
myself, the Deutsohe Baric is the largest stockholders, so that
this decision on their part means that we shall not be able to
accept the Government contracts and will be forced to either
sell out, or shut down the whole plant.
Considering all the hard work and worry of these long
years, I honestly believe that this business ought not be per¬
mitted to end so wretchedly. What has become of Mr. Liaman*s
proposition f Oan he not make us some offer on the prices and
estlnates we subnit ted T
J)eutsche €dison - Jikkumulatoren-Company
g. m. b. f).
Mr, Thomas A. Edison .
If a now company should be formed by Mr. Llsman and
yourself, I am willing, presided the oondltions are acceptable, -
to take an interest in same, in order to demonstrate to you
that in spite of the shortcomings and failures, I have not com¬
pletely lost faith.
During the meeting I have tried w larel best to per¬
suade the Bank to rot# in faTor of a capital inorease, so that
we would be in a position to execute the Gower ment contracts,
but they all considered it an absolutely hopeless case And the
only thing I gained was a six weeks' ultimatum to decide whether
it would be possible to sell out, or whether the company would
have to be liquidated and the plant shut down. I advised them
at the time that it was my desire to communicate with you before
deciding one way or another.
Bor your information, I want to point out that the
Edison battery is the only competitor of the lead battery on
this side and if the Edison battery would be discontinued
here , it would oreate a perfeot monopoly for the lead battery
people. I also have very reliable information to the effect
that the lead Battery People are trying to perfeot an alkaline
accumulator and are still conducting experiments with same.
Please telegraph me immediately on receipt of this
letter what can be done and follow it up by a letter. This
matter is of the greatest importance and as I have stated above,
we will hove to deoide one way or another dn about the 31st of
Ootober - six weeks from date.
Awaiting your reply with great interest, I am, with
best regards, « \
Yours sincerely.
t L
d
Oj4v**
27 Septomber, 1912.
i;n STEVffllS:-
We bog to onsloso, herewith,
cable from Berlin,
QUEHCHKD Pleaoe telegraph approximate quantity
IROH
KtX
SHIPPED
EDISO'.'CMX j yiiiar
Bading:
(
Sept. 27-1912.
*
13. H. MIXER .
In accordance with your request, we are catling EdiBoncell,
Berlin, as follova:-
"Beglnning September 13th have shipped 1500 lhB."
(Signed) Edison.
i/;«\
<^T /uw*. cnaUv-\ (Jems (yj ~ £ '-
Cclh I* k o i/ixnrj jrrm a^.
4'Uai}f*77'i ■di-7'}nwy\ t&
</
44 ^ Uj^u\ To ~hfyi faf-,
kt-’i'iA- Mjt'Mj Wn ^ ^tA
</"iV*\<AAf*' / '-ii)'‘l T‘ j
a/y &A (vJtTS^K. TujHj -
OTv^ A-y\ \ '>- w
4- dfl/uuj (rw)r vjf -i'Ui^
T h.m /W i-> rhf
StlAfi O ':■■(■• ( y-
r- iiuK r&- Am;.,
sjxhu&K
(M ~ 7 /'■>-•
Kr. H. F. Killer,
Laboratory;
In accordance with your Instructions
sending the
following deferred cable to FUlgura, Berlin;-
"Lisman left for Europe last week. You will hear from him.
here great success. Suggest you have banks representative
here investigate. Edison".
New York, October 16th, 1912.
till STEVENS :»
’*’b bog to enclose, herewith, a cable from Berlin, rending:
8EQM3NTER '.’.'e have settlod
ACCOUNT
BY SENDING
RCUXINOL 2600
1)01,1 .ARC
SSCADERO Send nt earlieet opportunity
ORDERED TUBES
EDISONCELL
J l/illnr
Hr. H. S'. Hiller,
laboratory
Kindly send cable to the Deutsche-Edison
Jlkkumul a t o r e n Company, as follows:
"Will make shipment of 50,000 tubes on
the next boat sailing about the 22nd instant. Cannot make
deliveries prompter than 15 days".
’ federal storage battery car company
lf BEACH CARS / ,
FDISQN STORAGE BATTERIES
SILVER LAKE, I
Edison Storage Battery Co.,
Orange, N. J.
,c^\.
JERSEY / ' - •• ..
NotQmbsr___lst, 1912 .
fc iA**'*' v~~ CL- <£..
/
entlemens ^Lws,‘"'
jstjs: rssssssr--^
Yours verjrtrul^
U / t- . - ^
7^-5,
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
-p. Lokomotivfuhrer- Landes - Zentrafbank - Aktien - Qesellschaft
gcgriindcl am 30. September I9U mil K. 250.000 Kopllol
zweeks Errichlung von Ein|amillctihUuscr*Gruppen fur Lokomolivfiihrer
The Federal Storage Battory Oar Company,
Boar Sirs,
Konigl. Rat Moritz Breuer,
yOlrcktor iter K. K. priv. SiKtUdim-Quu'lh
rji'h f. ^
3rd 3opdomifeif 1912.
Orange, H. J. U. S. A.
Your address was given to our Mr. Joseph Baneth hy Mr. P.K.Dolbeer
Sales Manager of the Edison Phonograph Dept .whom he inquired for information
re the Edison light storage battery. V/e now take the liberty in requesting
you, kindly to let us know all the advantages of the Edison light storage bat¬
tery compared with the other light batteries already on the market, also lowest
export prices, with a view of doing business as your Sole Agents for Austria -
Hungary .
The president of our organization is Alexander Sdpkdz, Member of
Parliament, Professor at the Budapest University for Technical Sciences, lectu¬
ring on Electricity, former Chief-Commissioner of the Governement for all the
Railway Companies of the Country, who takes a great interest in Hr.Edisons in¬
ventions touching electricity. Our vice-president is Doctor Baron Michael Lang
Member of Parliament, forThigh official of the Ministery for Finance. Besides
these two gentlemen of great influence, wo have on our Board of Directors repre¬
sented the official delegates of the Royal State Railway and the two most pro¬
minent private Railway Companies of the Empire, i.e. The Kasdau Oderberger Bahn
and The Siidbahn.
Our organization is controlled and supported by the Governement be¬
cause our members are all the Locomotive Engineers of the Country,without
P. t. o.
exbptii
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
Being thus excellently connected with all the Railway Companies and
the other governemontal institutions throughout the Empire, who are ackn5(fodged
to ho the fexeateBt buyers of storage batteries, we dare say, that we are ablfc to
do the best business possible for you, should terms and conditions be suitable.
Awaiting the favor of an early reply, we beg to remain,
Yours truly,
Managing Director
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
UWWmljor 1, 1912.
'wJcOTotl^hPor^^^a&^antralba^/jmBTS-aeBoUsohaft,
Budapest, Austria,
fill Elisabethriiig 60.
Gontlonion;
Xow kind favor of BapSombor 3rd. m have roforrod to Edison storage *
Battery Oft., a« we hare-no relation-with ‘them except in the use of their batter"
in railway cars. The*' will give your letter duo attention.
Undor separate oarer we are minding "cat a sat of 1 iterators deo-
eriblns* Beach Cars equipped with idiaen batteries.^
Tours very truly.
I.eFo'* Coott
s/h
Tales Snnsgsr.
lit* tfttttas A. Edison,
Orange, N.J.- U.8.A.
My dear Edison: -
After a lot of hard work, we have been eucoeseful
in inducing the Prussian State Railway Authorities to equip three
accumulator carsfor heavy traction, which are being built by the
Bergmann Electrical Works with Edison cells.
The order has now been offered to the Deutsche
Edison Akkumulatoren Co. and comprises a battery of 360 cells,
type A 12, for each car, i. e. a total of 1080 cells for all
three cars. The prices are standard list prices with 20# dis¬
count - our list prices are identical with yours - .
The Authorities propose to purchase these bat¬
teries outright on the condition that the batteries are main¬
tained for a period of 10 years at a charge of 13 Pfg. per
car kilometre. In our estimation it will be necessary to
- 1 -
BERGMANN ELECTRICAL WORKS (machine department).
Mr. Thomas A. Edison - 2 - 11.1.1912.
renew the cells after 5-6 years* service. This means that the
Deutsche Edison Company or whoever supplies the batteries will
have to undertake a guarantee for the capacity of the cells for
a term of five years; after the pxpiration of this period the
batteries must still have an output corresponding to 80# of the
guaranteed capacity.
The normal discharge current will be 110 ampB. and
the cars will each have to operate for a distance of 50,000
kilometres per annum.
The maintenance will be carried out under con¬
stant and most severe supervision.
On account of the existing state of affairs,
the Deutsche Edison Akkumulatoren Co, cannot effectuate this
order, and I would, therefore, ask you to cable mg, immediately
on receipt of this, whether you are willing to execute this order
and which guarantees you are prepared to undertake.
This matter is of the greatest importance and
I should be obliged if you would give it your urgent conBidera-
CL/V1 d cd” d'C-O.'f"* f S C €
Cj*rO<t-« - $ <i>
i'”it^;' .'Vi..,
civr~~' ^ t(~~ ^
^ * iry
Hov. 16th, 12.
Mr. Harry Hiller «-
In aooordanoo with your request, via have today o ailed Bargmann
at Barlin aa fallows «-
"£m forty large oar a for at asm road Behind ny or derB^ without
guarantaa, and at liat jrioa.if Government wants to experiment
let thorn tray one oar and try it out.
fhf/jao.
/ 5-/3/ ^
w «
Utnm7/i -wy htfrr'fc
, oH{/yOi\ W<M> (AjrtfiW\
c^whvu^o^ -t c^ol
Ofj^f (fy tUtst&'k W
Av * _
v Il&oc&-\ "71M^
^f}Vn I'fkrUj L^\~^/i
^ "^kL ' crrt^w^A
/Uki^CvT -\X^/^3fv } ^uy,0//^11'
/
-wi/wM ^VN—
UucJ~~n n*'w\ ^ ^h^r-
Berlin N 20, 6 December
D ronttaimerstr 35
V/e beg to advise, hereby, that we have comndoeioned the German
(Deutsche) Bank, Berlin, to remit you, per cheque « N.Y.- 03972.00, -hi oh you may apply
n aottloM.ent of you'- statements of the 7th end 22nd of October,
Plaaea advise u f a* receipt, and oblige.
Deutsohe Edison Akkunnlntorm Company
Edison General File Series
1912. Battery, Storage - Foreign - Japan (E-12-19)
This folder contains correspondence relating to the commercial
development of Edison's alkaline storage battery in Japan and other parts of
Asia Most of the material pertains to the appointment of E. H. Hunter & Co.
as the sole agents for Edison's storage battery in Japan, Korea, Formosa, and
Manchuria. Also included is a letter by Everett W. Frazar concerning the
potential in Japan for Edison's business in storage batteries, cement
products, and phonographs.
All of the documents have been selected except letters of transmittal
and duplicates.
Salts '& Fbazab, I/rn. (Jk Vx’’
■ t
SALE « «... LONDON, a. O. V. ..' iV ^
y ^
Thomas A. Edison, Esq
Hr. Edison:- \\
TOKVOU6r|^..3t":
My dear Mr. -
B„rlW i; *»•, J°»
in Bew York last month, Tariols inf orraation and data which
return to Japan. iae_ vaxx 0 me reeardine y°OT
you and your assistants a o^ kindly ftirniture, houses,
storage battery, y™r ph f indeed, and as 1 believe
etc., has inte?e^®^flln® Z here in Japan, 1 desire to do my
First as regards the STORAGE BATTERY. While nothing
seems to have been clone in g^^f^Soffition. 1 think I
2es.es t^ora«S’s« ors«o; - -?1“x
number of hydro-eleotrio power plantB in P ^ village
eleotrio current is available ^“"kT^oltoe look like
in the country, and ?* * ou have made no arrangements
a luxury. While X know that you nave ma ^ sceptical
toward an agency f°r_^iL??11^init“hat some organization must
about doing so, yet you will admr “ e y0Vl£ interests,
be maintained in order to ® Baiaeration the advisability of a
I would propose for _ your ooni consisting of a half a dozen
company being organized here, consisting ^ ar9 m a
gentlemen of whom you have _ jf you approve of the
position to handle matters ^n%e done on the
idea I shall be very 6 nnnroaohing such parties as Mr.
subject, and have in mind approaching ^ (£nerai Electric
Geary, the representative in ^p^noxt Ketoalf«, repreBenta-
Company (one of my very best f rienas T WOnld propose
tive of the Babcock and i^^ organization, keeping
that this company aot as a ^^^ly^i^hand, from whence delivflr-
stocks of your batteries ^^tantly^ supplierB. one of
ies can be made to local de me to have a sample
the most important *8B**®® purposes, and I am requesting
battery outfit ford e?-° p |^ §arner ( wh o was for many years
mv How York maiiss®^i *-*_ *.** Pottvoshv) "to soucL out ft
connected with the general fltted with a set of your batter-
representative electric txmOc a9Bisting Mr. Warner in
ies. Anything aSoiated, and you may depend
JSJ myrplaoingWthe ^rftfofyoS? battery’ in the very clearest
March 5, 1912.
light to the Japanese.
BEACH ELECTRIC CAE. This subject also is very
updwithetheVohief8eofSBaomQUo?r?ho large tramway
companies in the principal cities.
PHOTOGRAPH. I would greatly appreciate any information
and what you have done so far.
OEMEHT HOUSES, FURHITURE, AHD OTlffiR CEMEHT PRODUCTS.
Owing to the Japanese employing flimsy wood houses, the loss
■hv fire eaoh vear is enormous. If cheap houses and furniture
can he made of cement, a great opportunity exists, and one which
I think you will do well to study.
With very kind regards, believe me.
Yours very sincerely.
X ~UJ
75*"
, ALU TH E IMPERIAL JAPAN E S E GOVERN M ENT LI ST ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
„/.;■■, . Aus . rfetrr. . ms .
0*^.1- d,iW':-'t ':
^.6, csureTr. ,
CLO-C >|! ^’ ^ '
Messrs. The Edison Storage Battery 60^,
New York. Ofc-fe ■**"'s4‘'*‘
FOR ATTENTION OF MrL'THOS. EDISON. ..
Dear Sirs, /jLCCcr-^'-
We are in receipt of a letter from our New York Agents
Messrs. 0. Tennant Sons & Co. in which they give us^ag^^swTCrpt from
your letter dated July 1st. 1912, from which w^fiote you cannot
grant us the sole agency for your oells for Japan7~gi^ing as a
reason the increasing number of enquiries you are^eoe lying from
this territory.
■ From what you write in your letter you cannot be aware
of the amount of pioneer work we have done on behalf of your battery,
both as a means of propulsion for vehicles and for train lighting.
We have as you know imported one sample cell for demonstration
purposes and 110 cells through the Federal Storage Battery Car Co.
entirely at our own expense in order to demonstrate the advantages
of this battery. We have interviewed Railway officials, Universities,
Technical Sohools and Electric Tramway Companies, and have already
spent over Gold $10,000.00 in advertising to some advantage as your
letter/ shows where you state "as indicated by the large number of
inquiries and increased business received from there".
The EdiBon Storage Battery Co. Page 2. 6/8/12.
The Edieon-Beaoh Car has now arrived and on the 24th ultimo
we had a trial run on The Kobe Electric Railway Go's lines running
between Kobe and Hiogo. During this run we arranged for several of
the Imperial Gdvernment Railway's officials to be present in order
to shew them for themselves the advantages to be gained by utilising
these cars and batteries. For your guidance we enclose herewith
photographs which were taken prior to the trial run. In the car
is seated, among other official s^ Mr. Hasegawa, the Superintendent
and Chief Engineer of The Imperial Government Railways Western
Division. On the outward Journey some officials from The Municipa¬
lity and Post Office as well as the Chief of Police accompanied us
and the whole method of operation was minutely explained to them.
We are at present issuing invitations to all the newspapers
as well as about three hundred Engineers and Officials whom we considei
are directly interested in such an undertaking to a demonstration
run and banquet. All this we need hardly mention will tend to
increase considerably the amount we have already expended in an
attempt to develop this agency and make a success of your batteries
and Beach Cars &c.
To recoup ourselves for this outlay we expected to receive
your sole agency or at least a substantial covering commission for
say a period of three years during the greater part of hhlch time
we snail have to take orders at practically cost to thoroughly
advertise your battery for purposes other than traction.
For railroad and street car work we are preparing a set
of price lists in conjunction with the Federal Storage Battery Car
Co's cars, which will be useless if any merchant can import your
cells, because the complete car will be made in Japan, only the cells
The Edison Storage Battery Co. Page 3. 5/8/12.
being imported, and as they will be used 6n machines unsuited for
the purpose your oellB' will^we wftll realise ,get very soon a bad
reputation.
We should not be in a position to guarantee any given
amount of business at present, but in say a year or so we should be
able to judge of the demand .
We trust that you will reconsider your deoision and if
you will not consider granting us your exclusive agency we should
like you at least to allow ua such a oovering commission as will
enable us to continue our present system of advertising and recoup
us at any rate for some of the money already spent on the exploitation
and development of Beach care and Edison Batteries.
Awaiting the favour of an 6arly reply.
We are. Dear Sirs,
Yours faithfully,
FEDERAL STORAGE BATTERY CAR COMPANY
BEACH CARS
EDISON STORAGE BATTERIES
SILVER LAKE. NEW JERSEY
October ^
v. >'V^
*£=f<
^V">u;V /
soussed this Subject of the letter of
yr. Harry Pillar, secretary,
Edison lahFtttories,
Orange, J.
Hy dear Hr. Hillers
Hr. Beach discussed this Subject c- - „
August 8th of the E. H. Hunter Company with Hr. Edison within the
last few days and Hr. Edison stated that he would reply directly
to these people.
I enclose copy of their letter with our reply
of even date for your reference.
Yours very truly.
i (^ c
U%>-
:(»
FEDERAL STORAGE BATTERY CAR COMPANY
BEACH CARS
EDISON STORAGE BATTERIES
SILVER LAKE. NEW JERSEY Oct. 3, 1912.
Mr. Thomas A. Edison.
Orange, H. J.
My dear Hr. Edison:
Attached please find letter from Hunter & Go. This has been
hanging fire quite a long time and I meant to see you about it bofore.
The situation is - that C. Tennant Sons & Co. are agents in
this country for Hunter & Co. of Japan. We have done our business with
C. Tennant Sons £• Co. and at the time we appointed Hunter Sc Co. our
agents I talked it over with you and you said you would give them your
agency for the battery in Japan. They have taken hold of the business
earnestly and have bought a car and have it in operation in Kioto. They
are a large and responsible house and as far as I have been able to find
out seem to fill the bill. They now want spjjn agency. Of course
whether you give it to them or not is vip to -them. It is a fact that you
did promise it and we promised that they should have it. This iB all
I can tell you about it.
Yours truly,
President.
EHB/G3W
Enclosure.
October 3, 1913.
liOBore. E. r. Hunter & Co., ,
C’rana,
i’oicioo Japan.
Gentlemans
Replying to years of tho 1st, tho letter from ycrar principals
to lir. BUson of Augast 8tli hnc 1)8611 diccssRed betwon to. Boadh end
l!r. EdlBcn, and i!r. lUioon will reply directly thoroto. 1 rogret voiy
nradi that there 11100 ary delay, hat ®e have been exceedingly paahoi
with tho throe oar train demonstration, details of which I will oond you
in a day or go, end l'.r. Ediacia too been particularly busy for tho past
several weots on aerca important experiments.
Yoarn vory truly.
E. H. HUNTER & CO.
KA. KOBE, TOKIO
k
II U,
lOO WILLIAM STREET
NEW YORK,
PEH, TAKOW- FORMOSA
IY- MANCHURIA
ftOV* 4, 19X2 • _
Mr. H. P. Miller, Secretary to
Mr* Thomas A. Edison,
Edison laboratory,
, N. J.
2 -kJuSL y r
orange
Dear Sirs:- | |y
We b eg to refer you to our letter of October 3rd, aiRd
to a letter addressed to the Edison Storage Battery Company by
our principals, as above, un<pr sate of August 5th., In further
connection with the matter referred to we are enclosing herewith
photographs of the oar referred to as well as some reports, which
have been Inserted in the native newspapers in Japan.
We trust that within the next few d&yB youtmay have
an opportunity of securing enough of Mr. Edison's time to go
definitely into the matter referred to, and that the same
may haj$e from him the consideration we feel it ^serves.
Thanking you in anticipation, for your efforts in our
behalf, we are
Yours very truly,
As Agents for Messrs E. H. Hunter & Co.
\
Deo.
6th, 1912.
Messrs. E. H. Hunter & Co.,
Honden,
Osaka, Japan.
Gentlemen: -
Referring to the correspondence I have
had with you in regard to granting to you the sole agency
for the sale of the Edison Storage Battery in Japan
allow me to confirm the conversation I had on the 4tn
SatSutwith Mr. C. J. Rentier, the representative of
your Hew York Agenoy in regard thereto.
I told Mr. Rentier that I would not
consider any contract arrangement to tie up the terri-
Skris SlMKM £» “
of the Edison Storage Battery in Japan, Corea, Formosa
namely^saleo S 2 SWEyf ttaf
*°of aSS.BSTLSBS4 sSragen|s In |?11 not ! knowingly
oeive from your territory concerning the battery.
If it is found that you are not work-
arrangement to an end by similar notice.
It is understood that this arrange-
lost named right 1 reserve to myself.
If the arrangement outlined in this
letter is satisfactory to you, please send me your
written acceptance thereof.
Yours very truly.
Edison General File Series
1912. Birthday Celebration (E-12-20)
This folder contains correspondence and other documents pertaining to
a dinner party and reception in honor of Edison's sixty-fifth birthday. The letters,
written by organizers and attendees of the celebrations, concern the
presentation of a loving cup to Edison, commemorative photographs, and
publicity related to the celebrations, which were held at Glenmont, the Edison
residence in Llewellyn Park, New Jersey. Included are letters by Robert T.
Lozier, chairman ofthe birthday committee, William H. Meadowcroft, treasurer,
and longtime Edison associates such as Edward H. Johnson, Thomas
Commerford Martin, and Francis R. Upton. Several attendees are identified in
the documents as "Old Timers" or individuals who were connected with
Edison's electric lighting concerns and affiliated companies.
Approximately 30 percent of the documents have been selected. The
unselected items are mainly letters of transmittal and acknowledgment and
other routine correspondence regarding the payment of expenses and the
collection of fees.
Iso Church St., N?’y. Cit
January 27, 1912.
y, H. Meadowcroft, Esq.,
Care Edison*s laboratory,
Orange, N.J.
Dear Sir:
I have a letter from Mr. Insull, who
is now in London, telling me that Mrs. Edison spoke
to him when she was in Chicago about giving Mr. Edison
a surprise party on his birthday, and, as that event
occurs on Sunday, February 11th, the chances are, if
Mrs. Edison does anything, it will undoubtedly be on
Saturday, February 10th or Monday, February 12th. Mr.
Insull also told me that if I did not hear anything
from Mrs. Edison that I had better write to you and ask
you to post me about the matter so that I can advise
Mr. Insull by cable. Mr. Insull thought perhaps you
had better post me by wire. Mr. Insull wants me to wern
you not to say anything to Mr. Edison about it as Mrs. Edisc
wants to arrange it as a surprise. Mr. Insull says that if
you do not know about the matter to kindly speak to Mrs.
Edison about it.
After Mr. Insull had sailed we reoeived a letter
diitcb
from Mr. Robert Lozier^and it had been suggested by some of
the original Edison men to visit with Mr. Edison on
Saturday, Eebruary 10th. This information I sent to
Hr, Xnsull hy cable and I also sent him a copy of Mr.
Lozier's letter and he wired me in reply to send
Mrs. Edison a copy of Mr. Lozier's letter and a list of
the people which accompanied the letter from Mr. Lozier,
diAic-b
but up to date we have heard nothingAfrom Mrs. Edison.
I am giving you all of this information so that
you will know the whole story and would thank you if you
would post me by wire, as suggested by Mr. Insull, and
I will immediately cable him. I might add that Mr. Insull
expects to sail^on Wednesday, the 31st, on the Kronpnnz
Wilhelm.
Thanking you in advance, I remain
Yours truly
Mr. W. H. Meadowcroft,
c/o T. A. Edison,
Orange, N. J. January 27, 1912.
PERSONA
L
Dear Priend:
Mrs. Edison is arranging a dinner for a number of
Mr. EdiBon’s intimate associates to be given in advance of
the reception referred to herein.
Your Committee has considered that it is the desire
of those invited to present Mr. Edison with some personal
expression of their friendship and admiration on that oc¬
casion.
Time does not permit of conferring with each one
in person so we have assumed the responsibility of ordering
from Bifeck, Starr & Erost a Sterling silver loving cup on
the face of which will he appropriately engraved the purpose
of the presentation and on the obverse side will be engraved
the names of the donors.
The cost of this cup complete is $250 and to meet
this expense it is estimated that an assessment of $10.00
for each person included will be necessary.
If it is your desire to contribute kindly inolude
in your remittance oovering the reception, this amount mak¬
ing the total $13.00 and mail same at once to Mr. William
H. Meadcwcroft c/o Thomas A. Edison, Orange, New Jersey.
Conveyances will meet "Lackawanna" train leaving
West 23rd Street 4.50 P. M.
Barclay " 6.00 "
Christopher " 6 CO "
(See also Hudson Tubes).
It is proposed that guests wear demi- dress (dinner
coats) .
Robert T. Lozier, Chairman.
E. H. Johnson,
Prank S. Hastings,
Charles A. Benton,
Arthur Williams,
William H. Mead owcr oft, Treasurer.
January 27, 1912.
Dear Friend:
Due to certain changes that hare taken place Bince the
letter of January 8th, 1912, it has been found inadvisable to carry
out the birthday dinner to be given to Mr. Edison aB then planned.
Instead thereof, Mr. & Mrs. Edison invite us to a recep¬
tion to be given at their residence, "Glenmont" llewellyn Park
(Orange) New Jersey, at 8:30 P.M., Saturday evening, February 10th,
1912. Formal invitations will follow. As ladies will not be present
dress will be informal.
Conveyances will meet the "Lackawanna" train leaving,
West 23rd Street, 7:20 P. M.
Barclay Street, 7:30 P. M.
Christopher Street, 7:30 P. M.
(See also Hudson lubes)
If you have not already sent in your photograph, kindly
do so at once. It has been found impossible to get all of the
photographs in on time to have them ready for presentation on the
evening of the event. Therefore, this feature will be withheld
until oorapleted. In lieu thereof, and in addition thereto, an en¬
grossed set of resolutions appropriately bound will be presented
on that occasion.
Due to this and other matters connected with this cel¬
ebration, the contributions toward the presentations have been
increased from $1.00 to $3.00.
If you have remitted, Mr. Meadowcroft will communicate
with you concerning same.
If you have not as yet remitted, kindly do so to Mr.
William H. Meadowcroft, Treasurer, o/o Thomas A. Edison, Orange,
New Jersey.
Kindly send ALL FUTURE COMMUNICATIONS in his care.
Robert T. Lozier, Chairman.
E. H. Johnson,
Frank S. Hastings,
Charles A. Benton,
Arthur Williams,
William H. Meadowcroft, Treasurer.
0
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Robert T. Lozier, Esq. ,
c/o Vfc. E. lieadowerof t ,
Orange, iiow Jersey,
lly dear I.ir. Lozier:
On return to Davenport, I find your lester
of January 27th, reference to the Edison reception.
I have already remitted, as per your former request,
and have asked Mareeau of 26th Street and 5th Avenue,
Dew York, to send you my photograph addressed to you
at 64 Cedar Street, Hew York City. If that it not
your address, I would he glad to have you so notify
the postal authorities that you may get the photograph
promptly.
I notice that George D. liosenthal, the Gen¬
eral Sales Agent of the General Electric Company at
St. Louis, I.Iissouri , who was a beginner in the lino of
locating T.-H. and Edison isolated plants with a view
to getting what v/e would now call a card list, is not
included in your list of old employes.
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P. B. Shaw
Y/iixiamsport Pa.
January 30, 1912.
Mr, W. H. Meadoworoft,
Care Mr. Thos. A. Edison,
Orange, H.J.
My dear Mr. Meadov/oroft:
I am in receipt of the several oommunioa-
tions sent out by Mr. Robert I. Lozier, in connec¬
tion with his efforts to get together a lot of the
"old boys" from 65 Fifth Avenue, to celebrate the
birthday of Mr. Edison.
I was absent at the time of the receipt of
his first letter, but immediately 1 arrived home I
complied with his request, accepted the invitation
and sent him check for $6.00,- I think five of whioh
was to go toward the dinner that we were to tender
Edison, and one dollar for the framing up of a com¬
bined photograph.
Communication received under date of the 27th
states that the plans have been changed, and therefore,
the contribution will be $13.00, instead of six. Hav¬
ing already sent the six, I now enclose my check for
$7.00, making in all $13.00, the latter drawn to your
order as Treasurer. If there are any additional con¬
tributions required, be good enough to notify me, and
I can assure you a check will go forward without un¬
necessary delay.
In this connection I want to say that the
suggestion of this party would probably not have im¬
pressed me as it has, had it not been for the enclosure
of the list of the "old boys" invited. I have looked
over the names, and it brings back many fond recollec¬
tions and incidents connected with the early develop¬
ment of the Edison Lighting System.
I have accepted the invitation and expect to
be present, but to do so X must break several important
engagements, all of which I hope and expect to do, and
should anything transpire to prevent my being present
I certainly shall be heart-broken.
Very truly yours,
Jfeto Hack JIuhlic JTibcatg
Anlor fma anb Wilber ^Fcunbntians
S c* U ty« .
JU&U . j.
,s.Q., . -/on.
Mr. William K. Meadowerof t ,
C/o Thomas A. Edison,
Ornnge, 1J.J.
Dear Friend : :
From Mr. Lozier's communication
of the 27th. , I see that oome certain
changer, have taken place, namely, - a
reception instead of o dinner. I do
not know which io healthier, but I can
assure you that I feel very happy in
anticipation of meeting all my old
friends.
I enclose check for $3.00, and
will surely be there.
My son George, who was here
yesterday, sends his kindest regards to
you.
!
Weston Electrical
Instrument Co.
NEWARK, N.J.
CEO. H- MOSEMAN
176 FEDERAL STREET
ALTERNATING BOSTON
DIRECT CURRENT
SWITCHBOARD AND PORTABLE
INSTRUMENTS
Jan SOtii, 1912
kr V.'ra. H. Iteadowcroft ,
Orange, H.J.
:•:>* near i.ieadowcroft-.
HAIL; ALL KAIL; KAIL AGAIN . 7/011 it does me
good, to even see your name in print. Kail once more. I received a circu¬
lar letter yesterday, dated Jan 27th. Bobby Locier, Chairman, which par¬
tially informs me of some doings at I.Ir lidisons house on the evening of
Feb I Oth. in it,it refers to a letter of Jan 8th, which I never received,
will you kindly send me a copy of it, so that I may be fully informed as
to just what the trouble is. That list of old. timers was certainly re¬
freshing; many of them I had forgotten, under my caption, that sounds well
dont it, make it , Geo. H. Moseman, #176 Federal st, Boston, Mass.
I also see that you havent Charlie Klein's address; he is with the cutler-
Hemmer Co, in Kilwaukie; Charlie Shain is in the Automobile supply bus¬
iness with his son, on either Vesey St or Murray St, Hew York. I shall
be much pleased to hear farther from you with reference to this matter.
Yours v/ithout a struggle
I have been in this to--n,
right here in this off joe
ten years.
January 31, 1912.
William H. Meadoworoft, Esq.,
Care Edison's laboratory.
Orange, N.J.
Dear Sir:
I have a cable from Mr. Insull this
morning, stating he is sailing today on the Kronprinz
Wilhelm from Southhampton and he also instructs me to
advise the proper parties of his acceptance in the Edison
celebration matter, so I thought 1 had better advise you.
Of course when the formal invitations are issued a:. formal
acceptance can be sent, but I thought I had better advise
you now that Mr. Insull will be on hand on February 10th.
Yours truly
Jan. 3l/l2
Mr. George H. Hoseman,
176 Vederal St.,
Boston, Mass.
My Dear IJoseman:- .
Hail 1 Stormi Snowl and Bain! . You see the
fellow that writes last has a better chance. You only mention
Hail, but we are having all sorts here, including rain and sleet/
However, it does me good to see your old signature
and have a few words from you 'again. I have been talking quite
a good deal e.bout you during the last week. You. ought to have
been blushing a rosyred a good many tiiies last week, for 1
gave you absent treatment for it.
Wow about the doings at Hr. Edison's house on
the Evening of February 10th, it is a gathering of the"old
timers" to celebrate Mr. Edison's birthday, and you will re¬
ceive a formal invitation for the Reception, and I hope that
you nro going to come ovor and meet the old boys, for I know
you will have a good time, and so will they. In connection with
this there is going to be presented n set of resolutions, and
we also want a cabinet photograph and the autograph of each one
of us. Then the committee also asks a contribution of §3.00
to meet the expenses of putting these photoB in an album and
Jan. 31/1?
engrossing the resolutions. Are you on? If so, send me your
cheok and the photo and autograph.
Anticipating the pleasure of seeing you soon.
I remain
Yours ns ever.
wuh/ks
SF.3ASU33R FOR COHKIfTSE
Foil. lBt, 191
Hr. Arthur S. Knight,
Bears Bldg.,
Boston1; Mass.
My Bear Tlr. Knight :-
Your J'avor of the ?.9th tilt., with chock for 53.00,
came duly to hand, and you have Been credited with the amount.
1 have no copy of tho Committee 'a lottor of January
8th, hut cun explain to you in a few words.
It is proposed to get the ''old hoys" together on
February 10th as a sort of hlrthd5>y oelehratlon for Mr. Edison.
You will receive formal invitation within a few days. Idrs.
Edison has joined with the Committee, ;-nd we hope it is going
to he a great success, and it, no doubt, will he when the "hoys”
get together. It is proposed to present an engrossed Bet of
resolutions, also a cabinet photograph of each of the "hoys",
with autograph written on separate piece of paper. These will
ho placed in an album and given to Mr. Edison later. The Com¬
mittee has asked for a contribution of -53.00 to cover the ex¬
penses, and this is what your check is tohe applied for.
Will you kindly send your oabinot photograph and
autograph to Robert T. Lozier, c/o Kountz Bros., 141 Broadway,
New York City, at your earliest convenience.
A. S. X.
(2)
i'Web. 1, 1912
With kindest regards, and hoping to see you on the
10+ h instant , X renain
Yours very +mly.
OH’IASTJBKH ?0R COEIOTSBB
WHI’/SS
Feb. 1st,
1912
Ur. Fred K. Kimball ,
P.0. Box 5345,
Boston, Kaon .
My Bear Ur, Kimball :-
I am In receipt of your esteemed favor of yester¬
day's date, and in reply would say that I have no copy of the
Committee's letter of January 8th, hut can tell you about the
affair in a few words.
It is proposed to have the "old hoys” come to¬
gether at Mr. Bdi Ron's house on February 10th to celebrate
his birthday by a re-uniOn. Mrs. Edison has joined the Com¬
mittee in this, and you will receive a formal Invitation within
the next few days, if it has not already reached you. The
Committee has planned to have a set of resolutions engrossed,
and also to obtain cabinet portraits of all those invited,
with autograph on separate pioco of paper. These will be
put in an album and handed to Mr. Edison later.
It was decided to make an assessment for the
purpose of covering the expense, ana yon will find the amount
of your assessment in the Committee's letter of January 27th
which you have. If this is agreeable you can send your
check to my order as Treasurer.
Fob. 1st, 1912
I si ncerely hope that you fire going to he with
118 r' we<* fron Saturday, as It will certainly ho a memorable
gathering.
171th kindest .regards, I remain
Yours very truly.
ithk/es
CHAS. L CLARKE,
ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL
ENGINEER.
ROOM 1923,
30 CHURCH STREET,
NEW YORK. .
/V.
'*^7'
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St^/r. <U^~ & <5£~, £*^^*~*~~* & £-*' S** C^*sisz*A
I’e^. l/lE
Karceau,
5th Ave. ft EBth 8t.,
Ifev York City.
Bear !5ir:-
I an in receipt of a letter <*rorc Kr. J. '7. Porter
of Davenport, Iowa, in which he hWbb that he has written
to you, asking you to aond a copy of his photograph to Kr.
Robert *. hosier. 64 Cedar Eth, Hew York Kr. hosier watt burned
out in the Equitable fire, and his address is now care of
founts Bros., 141 Broadway, hew York. Please, therefore,
kindly send tho photograph to th.at address. If it ban al¬
ready gone, kindly notify the Post Office to deliver it
at that address, and oblige
Yours very ‘ ruly.
wraj/ss
Robert T. Lozic]
u
$
'I I
jf
H
>r
%
'x.
1 4.
f
, N. J.
Dear Friend:
Replying to Kr . ^IiOzier ' a letter of the £7th ult.,
I herewith enclose §£.00 towards -the "mount required. I hp.d
already sent Kr . Lozier two photographs, from which he could
choose: the half length In fedora hat is probably the best.
I think I sent one of these to Edison when they were taken.
It may surprise -some of the Old Guerd to be in¬
formed that I am probably the oldest Edison man, in that we
both attended Engle's Academy in Fort Huron in 1055, this was
over a quarter of a century before the days of 65-5th Ave.
cv?
Please tell V.r . Edison I hrve en extra illustrated ’J
7k.. *>, t;<
copy of the Roster of the 9th Michigan Infantery, which had its x^’"'
Semi-Oentenial Reunion in September last. There are many picture^;
of the Duffields and other Kichigan men in this Roster, whom Edisotf h;,
prpbably knew; tell him that if he wants this extra copy I will ^
send it to him.
'71 th kind regards to all old friends,
Yours truly, *
CO.
CEO. H. MOSEMAN
1 76 FEDERAL STREET
BOSTON
ige, N.J.
I received your lett<
;et it. I certainly would like to bo
' I possibly can. I enclose my choc;
!. check me off. the photo, is in p]
i picture of myself taker, in throe t;
;ook all rick as far as his machine >,
L the chrome to you just as soon as ;
hosiers letter s'
all 0.?:. is this really so ?. tell
forever.
pel). 3rd,
1912
hr. George *1. Koseman,
176 Pederal St.,
1508 ton, Kass.
iiy Dear Koseman
Yor.r favor of the End 1 r.Ftant , with check for
$3*00, has been received, and I have cheeked you off as having
paid. I hope nothing ha a happened with the photographer 's
machine. If yon warned him he would probably put on the shook
absorber .
Of course, a business suit would be alright, but
I think yon will find that nearly the whole bunch will wear
dinner coats. If you are not acquainted with the lingo, this
means a tuxedo ooat. Don't let that keep you away, however*
If it is not convenient to wear a dinner ooat, come in your
business suit by all means. It is Koseman we want, not the
clothes. Still, yon had better come covered, or else you
will be arrested.
Yours very truly.
whm/ks
fRTlAS UP.hl? J’OR C 0KIJIT2ES
NATIONAL ELECTRIC LIGHT ASSOCIATION
c^J&tt: <hs^i— — '&o<s\s c^g-> ■'■
C- ^ ~ -=T
. ^//O ■Z'Z-'Z-^ '-^
<^OtJlJL- . ^C+X^GLjQ
<^yLA^f^>
y/rn. H. Keadowcroft ,
c/o Thomas A. Edison,
Orange, S« J.
j;y dear nr. Ueadowcrof t :
Replying to your circular of January
27th, I enclose additional check for $7.00,
which with the $6.00 check already sent to
Kr. hosier at the time my photograph was
mailed, makes the $13.00 required.
As per telephone message of even date
I shall be glad to be present at the
Dinner, ,nd » «»««. “ ***
Y/eet 23r1 7:20 P. LI.
Enrol'*, y Street, 7.30 F. I.I.
ChriFtonher Str?“t, 7.30 P . M.
Will you pleae» inform me wHeth»r it. will t>e
-Srr-FP %t t'1?.-* Dinner uni w’mt truinr I will <fi#» to tukp
York
for the Dinnnr?
nking you in v)innn» , 1 mi,
Yourp
GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
' SCHENECTADY, N. Y.
New York Office
Hudson Terminal Buildings
30 Church Street
February 6, 19X2.
Hr. William H. Eeodowcroft , Treasurer,
e/o Ur. Thomas A. Edison,
Orange, Jlew Jersey.
Boar Sir:
I beg to enclose you herewith my check for three
(.;;:3.00) dollars which i3 the contribution towards the
presentation to be made to Hr. Edison on the sixty-fifth
anniversary of his 3irthday and I shall be more than pleased
to attend the reception which will be given by Era. Edison.
1 note, however, that my name was not spelled
correctly. Will you kindly make the necessary chango?
Yours very truly,
CEE:HV
(Ene.)
s
NATIONAL ELECTRIC LIGHT ASSOCIATION
Tate Accumulator Company
of Canada, Limited
Corn Srniiifi'..
Montread, Que.,
Xle. A v- ■*- A"*'- w ^f\
-f
/a ^ A I* ^.^AAaA-^^
c/^A/va ^ ^j . yfo. Jr fxt
— *■ --rrr^~:
ytk,v- t~/ /wv-r ,/^
y^O " c*siAS<- ,
if"
>7’
yi^~*~
.e-^-vXy* i^v~yA *J i — - <-^*--n— - ia^- y(.
f/_ ^ J y^^X. ^jCnZ^ay
1912
Pel). 8th,
Mr. I. C. Walker ,
531 Chestnut St.,
Philadelphia, Pa.
Pear Kr . Walter
Replying to your favor of the 6th instant, I beg
to say that the Pinner will he a "stag" affair and you can
wear a tuxedo.
In regard to the tine of trains, v/ill you please
take train on the Lackawanna leaving
West 23rd St. — 4/50 P. M.
Barclay St. — 5.00 P. 11.
Christopher St. - 5.00 P. K.
{Also see Hudson Pubes )
The train leaves Hoboken 5.15 and arrives in Orange 5.50. Con¬
veyances will he at the Orange Station to meet the guests.
The Pinner is at 6.30.
Hoping to have the pleasure of seeing you on
Saturday Evening, I remain
fours very truly,
ivhk/bs
TREASURER FOR COMMITTEE
Feb. 0th, 1918
Dear Mrs. Kdison:-
»fter our teWnone conversation this nomine I had
Arc er our Vr rr.ror ’ s absence, and
^sirfess «st
Reception might be sent
o/o Whomas A. Bdison, Inc., Orange,
B. H. Phillips
' H. V. learning
/ u. b. Hudson
/ (j. b. Youmans
/ J. 1. Rogers
✓ W. 1. Bckert — " " " __ n „
K J. W. Farrell
1/ W. Maxwell
✓ D. M. Bliss “ " " " „ v tS
/ F. A. Burnham, Jr. " „ _
✓ Walter B. Holland - - Edison Storage Battery Co.. Orange. H.J.
* H. 0. Plimpton “ 28*6 Decatur Ave.. Bedford Park, Hew York.
^ ^ ^.BBume you will send these invitations diradt.
Very truly youra .
wiim/bs
Mr . W. H .Meadowcrof t , Treasurer ,
c/o Thomas A. Edison., Esq.,
ORANGE, N.J.
Dear Mr. Meadowcrof t:
Please find enclosed 03.00,
which I understand is my share towards
the presentation. If this is not
correct kindly inform me.
Until Saturday evening, with
kind regards.
Yours sincerely.
February 0, IP If!.
I.:r. William H. Moadowcroft, Treasurer,
c/o ;.'r . Thomas A. ad i son.
Orange , . J .
y dear I.'.r. iieadowcrof t:
Enclosed please find check for "o.OO towards the
presentations, as requested iri circular letter issued under
date of January 2?th.
Some kind friend evidently called to the attention
of the Committee, within a day or two, the fact that X was
formerly connected with the Company at 65 Fifth avenue, and
the invitation to attend the reception was received by me
only Wednesday last.
A circular letter addressed to another Edison
wan was handed me today. Is it too late to sand a photo¬
graph? ■
Looking forward to the pleasure of seeing you
with many other old acquaintances, I remain,
Yours very truly,
0 €>
(Enclosure)
Pel). 9thip 1912
Mr. 17. H. Prancis, .
c/o Mison Bleetrde Illuminating Co.,
Boston, Hass.
My Dear Kfc. Pranois:-
X received your esteeirul favor of the 8th instant,
and regret to learn that there is a possibility of your not
being present at the deception to-iaorrow night, but I hope that
you are going to make on extra effort anti be one of us on this
memorable occasion. Such a gathering of the "old timers" is
not liable to occur very' coon again, and you ought to bo there
by all means.
How as to your other inquiries, lot me say that,
personally, I have hna nothing to do with the arrangements
or the loving cup. The Committee has had in charge all that,
and I am going to take the liberty of sending your letter to
our friend Dozier and ask him to write yon on the matter. He
knows all about it, as he is Chairman of the Committee.
I am simply noting as Treasurer, and X have had to sandwich
all this work in with my regular work for Mr, Hdison. Xt has
been somewhat difficult.
Again let mo say. as one of the old "patriarchs"
you ought to he one of the "bunch" to-morrow nieht, and I hope
Poll. 9th, 191R
yon will "be.
With kindest regards, 1 remain
Yours ■ very truly.
whe/bs
SHBASlSYH POE C0BHIT5BB
Feb. 9th, 1912
Mr. Robt. ?. hosier,
o/o Kountz Bros.,
141 Broadway,
Hev/ York City.
"y Dear Lozier
Of all the jobs 7 have ever \inder taken on the side,
this lias been about the toughest. Fortunately, during the
present week Mr. Rrtison has needed me seldom, or I should have
had to give up with one thing or the other, telephone calls
have been coming in incessantly and all sorts of questions and
difficulties have come up. Hov/ever, it is nearly over now, and
while I am glad to have had a hand in the work, I am also glad
that it is nearing the close.
X am returning to you some of the checks and letters.
Some are for $6.00, where I think they should only be $3.00,
and some are for remittances for $1.00 where they should be
$3.00. X have no correct list and do not know the correct con¬
tributions for each of the parties. I will mail you a list
of the contributions I have received, and you oan then check
up with your corrected list. X do not know what names are on
the loying cup. I presume that the $13.00 men are those Whose
names are to be inscribed thereon. You will see from the en¬
closed list that some of the men have remitted by two separate
R.T.l. (2) pel). 9th, 1912-
checks. Some of them were to your order, and I just en¬
dorsed your name on them and my ovm, and deposited them In my
hank account.
I enclose letter from W. H. Francis. You will
see he is quite anxious to know whether his $3.00 contribution
is sufficient. 1 cannot answer the question, as I do not know
whether his name is on the loving cup. Will you please reply
to him.
I also dnelose letter from Geo. G. Grower. You
will see that he wants to he sure and have his formal invitation,
so will you kindly see that it is sent to him, I suppose he
wants to preserve it.
I have, also received from W. H. Andrews, Schenectady,
Hi Y. , a telegram reading as follows:
"Has 5. C. '.Thitestone heen invited to Reception?
He is an 3aison man. A telegram to him here would reach him."
1 have replied to Hr. Andrews, stating, that it is
not in my province to extend the invitation and referred his
telegram to the Committee.
Hoping to see you tofmorrow night, I remain
Yours very trtijf.
whm/es
orange NJ
Ileaae extend to Mr Edison hearty eongratulatione and good wishes
with respectful regards
NiXola Tesla
I080A
-EDISOH BIRTHDAY, FEBRUARY 10TH, 1912.-
DIHHBR
Train arrives Orange
Quests arrive Glenmont
Dinner served
Total guests about 32
RBCB1TI0H
Train arrives Orange
Guests arrive Qlenmont
Quests leave Qlenmont
Guests leave Orange
Total expected, about 60.
Dinner and Reception arrangements under direction of Krs. Edison
Conveyance^ entertainment and finanoes under direction of
Hr. Headowcroft.
Presentations under direction of Hr. E.H. Johnson, who will aot
in all matters during Mr. Lozier's absence.
R.T. Lozier's address, C/o First Hataonal Bank, Omaha, Heb. , Return¬
ing on or before February 9th.
5:50 P.H.
6:10 P.M.
6:30 P.M.
8:14 P.M.
8:30 P.H.
10:45 P.H.
11:15 P.H.
C. A. 3enton,
110 West 34th St.,
Hew York City
Sigmund Bergmann,
Bergmann Elect. Werke ,
Berlin, Germany.
E. J. Berggren
c/o Thomas A. Edison,
Orange , II . J .
Chas. 0. Bradley,
41 Park Row,
Hew York City
H. 13. Bylleshy,
H. II. 3ylleshy h Co..
laSalle St., Chicago, Ill.
Charles 1. Clarke
Gen'l Eleo. Co. ,
30 Church St., II. Y. City
Richard II. Dyer,
41 Ilassau St.,
Hew York City.
Mai. S. B. Eaton,
Eaton, lewis h Rowe,
30 Church St,, H.Y. City
Charles 1. Edgar, Pres.
Boston Edison Co.,
Boston, Mass
\Y. J. Hammer,
153 West 46th St.,
Hew York City.
Frank S'.’ Hastings,
80 Broadway,
How York City.
A. B. Herrick,
14 Church St.,
Hew York City
Wilson S. Howell,
80th St. h East End Ave.,
Hew York City.
John W. Howell,
Gen’l Elec. Co. ,
Harrison, II. J.
Samuel Insull
Edison Bldg.,
Chicago, Ill.
Francis Jehl
Budapest ,
Hungary
E. H. Johnson,
Union league Club
Hew York City
John W. lieb, Jr., Vice-Pres.
Hew York Edison Co.,
55 Duane St., H.Y.Citj
Robert T. lozier
32 West 40th St.,
Hew York City.
T. commerford Martin,
39 West 39th St.,
Hew York City.
W. H. Meadoworoft,
c/o T. A. Edison,
Orange, II. J.
M. F. Moore,
Roselle,
H. J.
George F. Morrison,
Gen'l Elec. Co. ,
Harrison, H.J.
John F. Ott,
c/o Thomas A. Edison,
Orange, H.J.
J. P. Ord,
State St.,
Albany, II. Y.
Sidney B. Paine,
Gen'l Elec. Co.,
84 State St.,
P. B. Shaw,
Williamsport,
Pa.
Frank J. Sprague,
165 Broadway,
New York City
F. R. Upton,
Union Bldg. ,
Hev/ark, II. J.
X. C. Walker,
c/o Y/alker k Kepler,
Philadelphia, Pa.
Peter Weber,
c/o Thomas A. Edison,
Orange, II. J.
Charles Wirt,
Armat & Lena Sts.,
Philadelphia, Pa.
A. A. Cowles,
Ansonia Brass h Copper Co.,
Ansonia, Conn.
Mr . Murray
F. 1. Dyer
Harry F. Killer
John Killer
Charles Edison
W. S. Andrev/s
Dr. Acheson
Prof. Marks
Dr. Kennelly
Mr; Mallory
I.Ir . McCall
Mr. Freeman
Dr. Schutler S. Wheeler, Pres.
Crocker-Y/heeler Co . ,
Ampere, II. J.
Fred Ott,
c/o ThomaB A. Edison,
Orange, II. J.
Anthony II. Brady,
55 Duane Sy.,
Hew York City.
Arthur Williams
Mr. Pelzer
Mr. 3owker
Mr. Coffin
Mr. Fodor
Walter Miller
Mr. Aylsworth
ORDER OF EXERCISES. FEB. 10, 1918
Toastmaster
"65" ’
Reminiscences of the "Field"
"Hitching our Wagon to a Star"
Edison's Account with Posterity
Reading of Engrossed Testimonial
Presentation of loving Cup
R. T. Hosier
Samuel Insull
H. H. Bylleshy
Frank J. Sprague
J. P. Ora
T. C. Martin
E. II. Johnson.
28 NY N 160Count 6 PNS
Davenport la Fab 10—12 .
ffra H Meadowcraft, Then A Edison Laboratory, Orange NJ
It will be impossible for me to attend the dinner tonight ( stop )
please express to Mrs Edison ray sincere regrets ( Stop).
Extend to Mr Edison my hearty congratulations on 1 bis safe arrival
at the sixty five mile stone, and express my hope that he may with
satisfaction and strength pass many more ( stop ) .
To the Eoys of Old Sixty Five who may remember me say that only
sickness which has now ended in death of a relative, Previ ent(
attending that I might see faces and renew
days ( Stop ) I have witnessed the advance in the electric Art since
messrs Edison, Johnson and Vail visited appleton Wisconsin to personally
direct the wiring of a paper mill which wiring was necessarily £e,"f the
in two years ( Stop ) vrish I might hear you. discuss the evolution of the
lightning arrester three wire system, fuses railway equipment and many
others ( Stop ) . Joyful reunion to dll.
j P Porter
153PM
W * M\antische Telegrapher^
JgjiP* (GERMAN ATLANTIC CABLE COMPANY) yfa y^Cjj
TWO DIRECT CABLES FROM GERMANY TO NEW YORK. ^
EXCLUSIVE CONNECTION WITH THE COMMERCIAL CABLE COMPANY
“VIA EmDEN-AZORES”
Received lit 20 BROAD STREET,
SD' 2/128
TODAY AM SORRY I CANNOT BE PRESENT TO DO HOMAGE TO THE
OLD MAN BUT AM WITH YOU WITH GRATITUDE IM MY HEART AND
PLEASANT RECOLLECTIONS
BERGMANN .
SStische Telegraphy
M&P* (GERMAN M™ CABLE COMPANY) 207
TWO DIRECT CABLES OM GERMANY TO NEW YORK.
EXCLUSIVE CONNECTION WITH THE COMMERCIAL CABLE COMPANY
“VIA Em PEN -AZORES” FEB to ,3l2
"
Received at 20 BROAD STREET, _ . M. Subject to tern., and condition, at back hereof, which are ratified nod .arced to
BERLIN 78 l/51.
LOZIER 64 FULTON STREET NY.
AM SENDING MY BEST WISHES FOR EDlSONS CELEBRATION WITH
GRATEFUL JOY I KNOW ALL THE BOYS ARE AS THANKFUL AS 1
AM TO THE CREATOR OF THE GREATEST INDUSTRY’ IN THE WORLD
WHO THROUGH HlS INVENTIONS LAID THE FOUNDATIONS OF bin
PROSPERITY WE ARE ALL ENJOYING.
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Hr. Thomas A. Edison,
Dewellyn Park,
Or once, Hew Jersey.
Dear Hr. Edison; -
Thank you very much for your kind invitation
to dinner to night, v/hich Hrs. Edison has so kindly
sent me.
I am indeed sorry that distance prevents me
from accepting v/hat would, he both an honor and a pleas¬
ure. It has been many years since I first had the
pleasure of meeting you at Henlo Park, and' I surely
wish that yon will have many happy returns of tha.5
anniversary and live to enjoy all of the honors that
yoix have earned by giving us so many secrets out of
the great storehouse of nature, and in so doing, have
taken nothing from any man but added only, to the comfort
and luxury of the whole v/orld.
Yours has been a singularly fortunate life
and I hope that you v/ill live long to enjoy the fruits
of it.
jZr/Gt.
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Feb. 10, 1913.
Mrs. T. A. Edison,
Orange, H. .1.
Dear Madam:-
On returning from New York this morning, I find tho following
telegram awaiting me :
"Dr. A. E. Kennolly , Harvard Univorsity.
Please wire Mrs, Edison immediately whether
you will attend dinner tomorrow night .
(3igned) N. H. Meadowcroft ."
1 am telegraphing you as follows:
Meadowcroft 's telegram not understood. Sorry
unable attend tonight . Am writing.
A. E. Kennolly.
Mr. Moadowcrodt's telegram suggests that some invitation to dinner
has been 3ent to mo , but at the present time I havo received no such
invitation. I do not even know of any dinner either in New York or in
Orange. Had I received such an invitation, I should havo been very glad
to accept as I was in New York yesterday (Friday) and could have stayed
over. Porhaps somo letter addressed to me has gone aBtrny.
With every kind wish to Mr. Edison and yourself, believe me, dear
Mrs. Edison,
Your3 very sincerely.
CL. ?.
KjUvv/v^u
m
Jzh’(d><w<-<>L
s tA^f izr-v^-t. -by
Pel). 13th, 1912
Mr. P. A. Burnham, Jr.,
Bates Mfg. Co.,
50 Church St.,
Haw York City.
Dear Mr. Burnham:-
Your favor of the 11th Instant is received , and
in reply I would say that Mrs. Kdison had only about fifty of
the bronze tablets node.. These were intended for the Dinner
Guests, of whom there were about 45. Consequently there were
a few left over, which sane of the boys were fortunate enough
to secure. I have suggested to her the desire of the others
to have then, and I believe she is considering the question
whether or not to have some more made. If it is possible I
will try to secure one for you later.
Yours very truly.
whk/es
P.B.Suaw
’"PBWSf BV-LVAKIA. BuiLIHXfc
Piiu.vaJEi.PiiLv.Pv
Peb.
13, 1912.
Nr. Hendowcroft ,
c/o Edison Laboratory,
Orange, a, .J.
I.'y dear Headoworoft:-
It certainly wan a great
pleasure to me to have been present nt the
birthday dinner of Mr. Edison and meat bo many
of 1-ho "old boys", notwithstanding the grizzled
aondition of the dome of so many of them. I
congratulate you personally upon the retention
Of your youthful appearance, I was impressed
that you hod withstood the stress of time better
than any other' one of the bunch.
The special purpose of this
dictation in to call your attention to the fact
that 1 am anxious to have a copy of the flash
light picture' that wa3 taken at the dinner, if
there is any expense connected with this please
odvise me and I w*ll be only too glad to remit-
In this connection I wish to say further that
both my daughters are very anxious to have one
of the pictures such as were psod for the dinner
cards with Ur. Edison's auto.groph attached. I
feel sure that lir. Edison will be glad to execute
the same if you will call his attention to it and
see that they arq forwarded to me.
It is my hope nt an early date tp^,
go over to the laboratory and spend a day with Mr.
Edison and yoursqlf.
Very truly yours,
SEATTLE CONVENTION— JUNE 10-13, 1912
HOT YORK, February 13, 1013.
7f. H. Meadoworoft , Esq.,
Edison Laboratory
Orange, N. >T.
Dear Mr. Meadoworoft
In ray anxiety to get as many appropriate signatures ae I oould
to the engrossed teetlraonial on Saturdqr night , I oame away in a hurry having
to tale Arthur Lilians7 StoEcteBESr. In this hurry I left behind me
in the large bedroom upstairs my package of papers, inoluding menu and por¬
trait and a red snake-wood walking stiok with a silver band, which I had
placed on ore of the bureaus. I on moot anxious to eeoure all thio material
and wrote to Mr. Miller about it on Sunday. If it is not too late I would
very much like to have the portrait signed when it comes back as I am think¬
ing of framing up ths documents. I think the whole affair went off most
brilliantly ahd acceptably and must congratulate you as I know you had a large
share in the work.
Yours truly,
Hail to our hale ana light hearted ohief of sixty fivo winter 3 .
Sorry not to have been with oia associates to honor yon last evening
mrs Bowker aaas wish that the light yon have shea on others pathways
may for many years shine on yonr own best wishes .
Mrs Eaison
R R Bowker.
143 pm
Feh. 15th. 1912
Mr. B. 3. Shaw,
Killian sport. Pa.
My Dear Mr. Shaw:-
Yonr favor of the IFith instant was received, and I
an glad to learn that yon enjoyed tho birthday celebration so great¬
ly. It certainly -.van a memorable occasion and most enjoyable, es¬
pecially the meeting of old and esteemed friends like yourself.
You are certainly complimentary in regard to myself, and I want to
say that the only change apparent in you is a littlo additional
weight, and your mustache, IJ.’-e mine, he;.: silvered somewhat , but
that is more noticeable in you, for yours was so dark as I remember
it in the old days. X was gled to see you looking so hearty
and rugged.
As to the flashlight picture, it came out well, and
I have ordered one for you. The cost will he §1.50, and I will
ask the photographer to send you his hill, .so you can remit direct.
I am Sony to say that there wwero none of those
photos of Mr. Edison's left, hut Mrs. Edison is considering a
duplication. If it is consummated I will get one autographed for you.
Hoping to have tho pleasure of seeing you over here
at.no distant date, I remain
Yours very truly, ,
;vhm/es
Fob. 16th, 1912
Dear lira. Baisan:-
Km following is a list of our people bore at the
Works who were invited to the Reception, hut who did not re¬
ceive any souvenirs last Saturday Wight. they are all vory
desirous of having the Paperweight, Photograph of T’r. Faison, ■
ana the Brown Folder,. if possible:
Carl H. Wilson
F. X. Dolhoer
C. K. Goodwin
Walter Stevens
1. c. HcChesney
Hole on C. Durand
E. II. Phillips
H. T. lee-ming
E. B. Hudson
I would suggest
G. E. Yonranns
,t. 5. Hogors
H. 1. IOohort
J. 17. Farrell
W. Maxwell
D. ii. Bliss
F. A. BurnluU'i, dr.
Waltor F.. Holland
H. G. Plimpton
that if yon decide to have a new
supply of the Paperweight. Photograph, and Folder made, that
a set be sent to
Major Eaton
Hr. Wnrth (Senior)
(2)
The following persona v/oulfl lifce to have the items
mentioned after their names:
i£r. Geo. P. Korrison — Paperweight
Hr. Hart in — Photo- Eenn - Paperweight
Hr. Hoore — Folcier anti photo
Hr. Jamison — Pol tier and Photo.
Yours very truly.
whm/hs
- ^ <T. £a O? &? . J&y-
^ ^*db
y L X^bbbbe-^bzbb -£^ <3t _
e*-y y/^
~<£L
ROCHESTER RAILWAY AND LIGHT COMPANY
Rochester. «. y., February 19th • ,
Dear Hr. Keadowcrofti -
Replying to your letter of February
14tlu, I beg to say that I am leaving for Hew York tomorrow
night, and will take my"bone8"with me and call at your record¬
ing roomn so they can make the record for Mr. Edison.
a/h.
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February 24th, 1912,
Mr. W. H. Meadowcroft,
c/o Thos. A. Edison,
Orange, N. J.
My dear Mr. Meadowcroft:
I had a talk with Mr. Furman in regard to your son.
He told me that bond salesmen in the embryo received about $15.
or $18. a week, and that when they became experienced they re¬
ceived from $40. to $60. a week, and that it generally took from
one to two yearB, depending on the man, to reach this development.
If these figures are of interest to you, I will at once take up
with him the matter of your son, to see if it is possible to
obtain an opening for him.
On Mondqy will be sent out letters to the delinquents.
Concerning the Andrews matter, the Committee would be
quite willing to have his name put on the cup, but not in the
middle, as suggested by Mr. Clarke. What we could probably do,
if space permits, would be to put his name at the head of the
left-hand column and add the name of Charles 6. Y. King to the
top of the right-hand column. Will you see if this is practicable
and also ask Mr. Edison if he is agreeable.
I am going to Boston to-night and will return on Tues¬
day , and will be glad to hear from you.
well. 26th, 1912
Mr. Robert ?. Lozier,
c/o Konntse Bros.,
141 Broadway,
New ?otY. City.
My Dear Mr. Lozier:-
I an in receipt of your estoemed favor of the
24th instant, and want to thank you very nnch for your kind¬
ness in speaking to Hr. Furman on the Bond Salesman matter.
I will talk this over with ny son and let you I'non Inter shout
it.
In regard to the names on the oup, I suppose you
will also send letters to Bergronnn and jehl. I aa sure that
they will only he too glad to send on their contributions.
'.Then you write to Mr. Upton you .had hotter address him Union
Bldg., Newark, H.J., bb he has been in California and I think
is on his way hack. The Newark address will reach hir>, as it
is his Office.
As to I-irl Andrews, he wrote a letter to Mr. Edison
and also to ne. On talking the natter over with to. Edison,
he was quite willing to have Andrews* name put on the clip at
his own erqionse if need he.
Since that tine I have heard that Dr. Eennelly is
also very desirous of having his name on the cup. Thi.3,vfith
i**5*1" (2) ' Feb. J35/1S
Mr. Charles J. Y. King, would make three. If these are put on I
think- we should close the natter right there, if the rest of the
Coramitteo are agreeable to having these three names put on.
I want to hear from you first as to Dr. Kennelly,
ns i understand the Committee is willing to ha-e Andrews’ and King’s
name on. You will remember that Dr. Kennelly was very close to I-ir.
Edison for many years, and while he does not date back to 65 Fifth
Ave., ho oomes in very close t0 that time.
X am sending you a copy of the photograph of the
eup to-day. It does not seer, ns though there would be room to put-
one more name on the top of each column, but thorn neons to be plenty
of room to put three names down at the end after Arthur ’.til"' isms ' name
they could be strung along singly like Wirtn ’. and Williams' names.
What do you think of it?
Before speaking to Hr. Edison about King I would
like to know what yon say about Dr. Kennelly, so that I can make
one Job of it. Yon had better let mo know an soon as you can,
because Hr. Edison will be going to Florida in a few days.
Yours very truly.
WHK/ES
Feb. 86th, 1918
I Jr. W. S. Andrews,
c/o General Electric no.,
Schenectady, II, Y.
Ky Bear Kr. Andrews
Your esteemed favor of the 22nd instant was re¬
ceived, and 1 must ask yon to kindly excuse the delay in
answering same, as I have been extremely huay. I felt ex¬
ceedingly sorry that tiro did not nerrait me to have a little
further talk with yon when wo met at Ur. Yd i son ' s house on the
10th instant. You could sec for yourself that I was kept fairly
well on the jump. It was unfortunate that rn error crept in
in regard to the invitations and that you were not present at
the Dinnor. You may rest assured of one tiling, and that is
that neither Ur. nor «rs. Yd Ison felt that you had boon guilty
of any indifforence or neglect, That is very certain, so pray
dismiss it from you r mind.
As to the Moving Cup, X think we shall bo nblo to
arrange that your name may be put upon it. I am speaking a
little prematurely, but please treat this confidentially until
you hear further. You are not being forgotten I can assure you.
With kindest regards, I remain
very truly.
whm/es
Yours
SEATTLE CONVENTION— JUNE 10-13, 1912
HET: YORE, February S8, 1013.
Vi. It. Ueado-oroft, Eon..
Kdioon Laboratory
Orargc, it. J.
Dear Hr. lioodoworofts-
ROBERT T. LOZIER
March 4th, 1912
Mr. J. P. Ord,
State Street ,
Albany, IT. Y.
My dear Mr. Ord:-
Xn settling the accounts of the Committee which had
charge of the Edison Birthday Receptioni I find that you have re¬
mitted $5.00 in accordance with our circular letter- describing
the Edison Reception, which table place after the dinner.
It was decided by your Committee to purchase for Mr.
Edison a loving cup, the names of the donors to be engraved on
the obverse side, and your name was included. The additional
cost by reason of this cup is §10. per person, and if you care
to subscribe: will you kindly remit this amount to Mr. W. H.
Headowcroft, Treas. , c/o Mr. Thomas A. Edison, Orange, K. J.
I am at fault in not advising you of this sooner, but
unfortunately I have been away from ITew York almost continuously
for the last two months.
I feel that we all had a most enjoyable evening and it
was fine for so many old friends to get together.
With beBt wishes, welieve me,
Chairman.
£ ■***
Yours faithfully.
ULl
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T7. H. Maadowaro ft, Esq. ,
Edison Laboratory
Orange, li. J.
Dear I!r. llaudoworof t :*-■
I havo yours of Haroh 6th and am glad to know that Hr. Edison
oonaents to the addition of the names of Andrews and King. I have seen
Lozier at the Club a couple of tine this week and spoke to hin about the
matter and am glad to know that it is now in rood shape.
It was oortainly a moat delightful time last Saturday night and
I shall read the number of Harpers that desoribes it with great interest.
Tho lines of Sunday morning had an oioellent report of several oolunns.
GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
SCHENECTADY, N. Y.
Mr. William H. Meadowcroft,
Edison Laboratory,
Orange, U. J.
My dear Mr. Meadowcroft:
I have Just now received a letter from
Mr. R. T. Lozier stating that arrangements have been
made to have my name engraved on the Edison Loving
Cup and requesting me to send you $10.00 as my con-
tribution towards presentation, which I have much
pleasure in doing.
1 feel very much gratified that this matter
has been so satisfactorily concluded and wish to
thank you most cordially for the kind efforts you
WSA/LH
CENTRAL SERVICE
CORPORATION
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Mr. W. H. iteadowcroft,
c/o Thomas A. Edison' 8 laboratories,
Orange, N.T. - U.S.A.
My dear Mr. Meadowcroft t-
Many thanks for your letter of the
23rd ult. , enclosing- newspaper clippings describing the Edison
Birthday Celebration.
You have no idea how disappointed X was at not being
able to be present on this auspicious occasion and it made m.e
quite homesick to see all the names of our old friends. Erom
all accounts it must have been a very great success indeed and
I congratulate all concerned for the efficient manner in which
this surprise party was sprung on Edison.
I hope to be able to come over Borne time this year and
see all the boys again.
With kindest regards,
/VVWVvt*^,
liar, 11th, 191E
Jar .
•>?. 3. Andrews,
c/o General Electric Co.,
Shhonectady, H.Y.
Hy Dear Hr. Andrews
X duly received your esteond favor of the 8th instant,
enclosing your check for 310.00, which, with the remittance you
made before, is your pro-rata of the erqienses in connection with
the loving cup and testimonial given to Mr. 3d! son on his 65th
' birthday. Personally, I also feel very much gratified that the
matter has been concluded in a manner satisfactory both to you
and to all of ns. I have sent the lovine cup to Hew York to have
your name engraved on it, so that you will be handed down to posterity
with the rest of the "boys".
With kind regards, I remain
Yours very truly.
whh/ks •
TREASURER FOR COMMITTEE
Har&h 11th, 191^
J. P. Qrfl , Esq.,
459 State St.,
Albany, H.Y.
Dear Hr. Ord:-
I an in receipt of your cat eerie 4 favor of the 9th inat.,
enclosing yonr check for $10.00 to cover your share of the expenses
of loving cup etc. for Mr. Edison’s 65th birthday. Please accept
thanks therefor. X aw glad that you so thoroughly enjoyed the
reunion of the real "old tiners". It was certainly a most memor¬
able gathering, and I think that everyone enjoyed it greatly. I
know that it afforded Mr. & Mrs. Edison particular pleasure. He
has seemed quite happy about it.
In regard to the photograph of Hr. Edison which you
left, I am sorry to say that his pictares which a few of the guests
had unfortunately left were "gobbled" by other people. Several
of our friends were in the same predicament as yourself, ana I
took the matter up with Mrs. Edison. I believe she is having some
duplicates made, and when they return from Florida in about a month,
I will look after yours and get Hr. Edison to autograph it.
, Yours sincerely.
whm/es
Mar. 15th, 1912
Edward H. Johnson, Esq. ,
20 Broad St.,
Hew York City.
My Bear Hr. Johnson:-
I received your favor of the 13th Instant, and
in ropl? would say that tho original photos fron which the
figures were made on the hronze souvenirs were supplied hy
Mrs. Edison, and as she has gone away to Florida with Mr. Edison,
I cannot get then. I have been hunting around, however, and
can get copies, which I will send to yon early next week.
I vail also send you a photo of "Old 65", and also
one of your Christmas tree in the early days; I just turned it
up and thought you night li'e to have it.
The stock ticker was taken fron a line drawing,
and I will try and get a picture of that for you, and also one
of the battery.
I received a letter from Mr. Lozier asking me to
send to Benpsey & Carroll pictures of 65 Fifth Ave., Borgmann
& Co., Menlo Bark and Llewellyn Park; also a cory of Mr. Edison’s
photograph. Bo these relate to the sane thlngthat yon are writing
shout? If so, I would say that X have no picture of Bergmann & Co.
Building.
Please let me know.
whu/es
Yours very truly,
J
>rLX
f^JZ '’ll.
SlJt- <*•* j
SEATTLE CONVENTION— JUNE 10-13, 1912
NATIONAL ELECTRIC LIGHT ASSOCIATION
HE17 YORK, March 18, 1913
(!
S^L orr/S/it^-^f/A
(Qcfah
T
'071/,
vjtpty,
Edward H. Johnson, Esq.,
20 Broacl St.,
Hen York City.
My Dear Mr. Johns on
I am sending the photographs yon desire, under
separate cover, and trust they will he satisfactory for the
purpose. I am sorry that I cannot supply a photograph of
Bergmann's, hut I do not find one around here.
I have had some inquiries as to whether the
group picture that is going to he made of the photos of the
"Boys" will he capable of reproduction so that some of them
could get a copy at a very moderate amount.
Yours very truly.
whm/es
sftu-'
1*^-
My dear Meadowfcroft:-
I t>eg to acknowledge the reception of your favors
hearing dates as follows; .January lPth with copy of Monnot's letter, Feb¬
ruary 13th. from Edison, February 15th. from Edison,February 23rd. -with news¬
papers clippings ect. all for which my best thanks. X beg further to
acknowledge that I have also received the photos. of the cup and that of
the dinner party, which X expect to publish in a continental weekly and
will send you a copy when it appears.
Enclosed please find, my cheque towards the expenses of the
cup ect. and will ask you not to be bashful about sending me and de Fodor
each one of the plagues I have read about that the invited received at
the dinner.
Hoping that you are enjoying good health, and with kind regards
and compliments to all, I remain.
Yours very sincerely.
Mar. Beth, 191P.
Edward H. Johnson, Esq.,
20 Broad St.,
Sew York City
a y Dear Ht. Johnson:-
I am in receipt of yonr esteered favor of yesterday
end am glad to learn that it if your idoo that naoh nan shown in
the group picture shall have a copy, and I an sure everybody will
he glad to learn of it.
As to putting C. G. Y. King's name on the loving cup,
I note Kr. Dozier’s letter ana also your remarks. I hope that the
name has hot been engraved on the oup.
I Bent the oup to Black, Starr & Ptost and told them
that either yon ot lir. hosier would instruct then as to any ad¬
ditional names to.be engraved thereon, so unless hosier or yourself
have instructed them they are still awaiting directions. If so,
the matter is still in our control, and the only name to be en¬
graved would be"Y7. S. Andrews."
I don’t know :‘/hy King is sore. Anyway we certainly
do not want anyone who is not in accord with the spirit of the thing.
He was formerly the Chief Engineer of the old Construction Depart¬
ment at 65 Pifth Ave., and I believe he is now one of Hr. Insoll’s
ohief engineers in Chicago. His name is not on the oup so far. bo
(80 ‘
the matter is within onr control.
yours very truly.
tchm/ss
Mar. 20, 1912
Mr. ?. II. Upton,
Union 31cig. ,
Ifewari:, II . J .
My Bear Hr. Upton
Please portion the tielay in nokn o >vl e o g ing your
favor of the 15th instant, enolosing year ehee> for .jl?.00,
your contribution tov.’aruB the loving cap anil testimonial for
Mr. Btiison.
■before long.
I shall hope to have tho pleasure of seeing you
Mourn very truly.
whh/ks
N EW
/
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POPULAR ELECTRICITY MAGAZINE
April 3, 1912.
Wm. H. Headowcroft , Esquire,
Laboratory of Thomas A. Edison,
Orange, Hew Jersey.
Bear Sir:
It was very thought¬
ful of you to send the addresses of the guests
at the Edison banquet that we might call their
attention to the magazine.
Unfortunately we are
all out of April issues and cannot send them
copies at present. However, we have written them
a card telling them about the article and that
the magazine can be bought on the news stands,
also that later on we will have a supply on hand
and can send them copies upon request - you know
we have a few come back each month from the news
stands.
At your request X am
returning the list herewith.
Once more thanking you
for your kindness, X am.
Very truly yours,
April 4th, 1912
Ur . Francis Jehl,
Vll Kazinczy-Uticza 19,
Budapest, Hungary.
My dear Jehl:-
I am in receipt of your favor of the 19th ult.,
and am glad to learn that you received my letters, newspaper
clippings and photos. I also note that you aro goine to pub¬
lish an account of the dinner in a Continental Weekly, and shall
he glad to Bee a copy. Possibly you may receive tho Popular
Electricity Magazine in Budapest. If so’; you will find a little
illustrated article by mo in the April number. If you do not get
this monthly in Budapest, you might write to It. W. Young, Editor
Popular Electricity Magazine , Dearborn & lake Sts., Chicago, Ill.,
and I am sure he will be glad to send you a copy.
I beg to thank yon for your contribution towards
the expenses of the loving clip, etc.. Which has been placed to
your credit.
As to the photo and bronze paperweight, these were
given by Mrs. Edison, personally, and she only had enough made
for eaoh one of the Dinner Guests. There 'have been so many re¬
quests from the Did timers" for these souvenirs that I askod her
before they went to Florida last month to have them duplicated.
(2)
April 4/12
She thought she wouia ao it, hut the natter has been suspended
until they cone hack from Glorias, which will He in about ten
3ays. I shall take the natter up again with her ana hope in
due tine to he able to Rena you the souvenirs.
I am thankful to say that I an enjoying good health,
and trust that it is the sane with you.
With kina regaraB, I remain
Yours sinceroly.
y/hm/hs
EDWARD H. JOHNSON
NEW
/tU
t *?. ^r^.'^-Ac..
*fci fy ^
^ sS^-l
sZ ^
^ril ^n
y'y’ — /i‘~~
■ . ^
Hay ? 8t'n ,
1912
Hr. Arthur S. Beves,
o/o BleugaR Co. of America,
B31 fourth A vo. ,
How York City.
Dour Mr. Beves
Yonr esteemed fnvor of the 24th instant cane
to hand, ana I must ask yon to accept my apology for the
few days’ delay in replying, as I have boon so rushed.
I do not wonder that you desire to know
about the completion of the photographic group. The work
is progressing and X understand from fir. IiOzier that it is
almost finished. I think that before a great while you will
receive a notification from him to that effect.
As to the story of the birthday colebrati on,
I wrote an article f or ^Popular Electric ity", but just at this
moment cannot remember whether it appeared in the April or Hay
number. However, if you write you H. Young, Editor of
Popular Electricity Magazine , Dearborn S-. lake Sts., Chicago,
Ill. , I think you will probably bo able to get a copy.
As to souvenirs, Mrs. Edison only had a limited
number done for the Dinner Guests, and a great many applications
from the other old friends have been received. I have had
(2)
Hay ?.8/l2
several conversations with hor on the matter of duplicating
souvenirs, hut thus far she has not done anything shout 3t.
Possibly she will still ho willing to take boms action later
on.
With kind regards, I remain
Yours very truly.
WHH/-5S
Mr. E. H. Johnson,
Union League Club,
Mew York, H.Y.
Bear nr. Johnson: -
The Edison group picture is finished and you and
Charlie Benton can see it at Dempsey and Carrol's on Monday,
or they will hold it later, if you telephone them to do so.
Aa easel will cost §35 extra and will cause delay. If you all
agree, I think it best to cut it out.
I woiad also suggest that Meadowcroft set up the picure
in Edison's library, and then you can go out there after it arrives
and see how the old man likes it. This will be in the nature
of a surprise to him, but if you have any other plan by all means
i*5r follow it out.
I enclose copy of letter which the .American Letter Co.
will mail to those whose pictures appear.,
Eorgive me for taking the reins in my hand in/ this
manner but had to leave unexpectedly for /the west and thought it
HO. a B.H.J.
beat to gat the jot done. Will he gone about 10 days. My
address is First national Bank Bldg-., Omaha, Hob.
With test wifhea,
Yours faithfully,')
/fa,,- tfy feu, i
Jo ^ Ut^UU 'U* ‘//?~7K^-ySo
*fe- *
,U ^ %r /— ^
‘/zfeLy ^ uu sUUu^-^
UtfU U^c^L u
Ui/ <^G
r fefeu,~ £***+*
^uUu feuu u -
<fe^>y a^, *?*-< a^y ^otl
fa jfez^sOU., A^fefefe^y
/L&4Z^ AuU^ , y , fe
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
b
Dear Friend,
Your committee is at-iast able to report that the
Edison Group picture hae been finally completed and will this
week he presented to Mr. Edison.
It contains "65" photographs of Mr. Edison's associates
• p /. Cr.. .- V. .'.o.Ctv - • -f. • ■ , ^
of the days of 65 Fifth Avenue.^ Each photograph received has
heen reduced to a standard size and tone, c-.ontai.ning the name
of each person engrossed under it; and we feel that ~as3rs.
Dempsey and Carroll have turned out a very satisfactory piece
of work.
A 14 hy 10 negative has heen made and those who
desire to have a photograph of the name cart do so hy mailing to
Mr. William H. Meadowcroft, oare of Thomas A. Edison, Orange, N.J.,
two dollars. While this sum is in excess of its actual cost,
still the expenditures incident to the celebration, including the
oost of this picture, were in exoeBS of the contributions re¬
ceived, and wo hope to make up the deficit in this manner.
The original photographs whioh we have reoeived will
■a bo
he returned, arid we have thought best, to hold them not that they car|
he sent, in the name paokago with the group pioture, if the latter
he ordered.
Tho delay in completing t,hl8 group pioture has heen
due to the difficulties encountered in getting the proper
photographs together, hut now that the work is done, your
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
committee trusts that it has aoted in aocor&noe with your
desires, and unless instructed to the contrary, will consider
itself discharged.
With host wishes, believe ub to he
Yours very truly,
Robert X. lazier
Chairman
35. H. Johnson
Charles A. Benton
X. C. Martin
Wi3.1iam H. Meadowcroft ,
Treasurer k
\r
EDWARD H. JOHNSON
20 BROAD STREE1
NEW VOR,.^4 . <Z. ..
*r - . . . ‘y’y _
:: trm.
*“ / rcs^s —
j- *<-&-: *'~"‘
^ j?
*Ll+* *\
^ sts*
TO YORK, July 24,
1912.
17. H. Ueadov/oroft , Kail*,
Eli non Laboratory
Orange,, H. J.
Dear Meadoworoft :~
Please note tho enolo3ed which I have received from Johnnon, from
which it will appear that he will not have t mo to come out to tho Laboratory
at all. X believe Lozier ie in the weat ao I ahall bo glad to have your
advioe aa to what hod better be done about it. X an loaded with oomnittoo
meetings and am going out of town early noxt week but of oourne would like
to give the matter nuoh attention aa it roquires.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
7
/>W
/KU>£ p*
?4$z
EDWARD H. JOHNSON
Jr ^ >fe*4fc
^ .f^6. ^
J1^^- ^ f^*^' ^7'
^ -‘-jr&JK r_r^
€ ' Ouuj, 26 - /?/* ■
_ ^ $(*. JibuLArurM^l’
&>V VH,
Ur ^
^ rwv- 'Wv) ^ ^ ■2- ,f^V"
Ajsyi^J-^-^ X*-*C
A- C<uvj(U^_. ‘Tt 'yLZtU—m L <- O^sfyura+A
H^-s Vt-r ''R^c^C. ~
^ ~e^v*v tfVvv^-~| 'f~ry‘ —
^ XX
Aug. 2E/I2
Mr. Win. J. Hammer,
163 W. 46th St. ,
liev/ York City.
My a ear Mr. Hammer
I have received your favor of the 20th instant,
enclosing your check for $2.00 for copy of the F.rtioon group
photo. These will ho ready in a few days and one will he
sent to you in accordance with your direction.
1 oa glad to have a hiographioal notice of
yourself, and heg to extend my congratulations to you thereon.
Yitli kind regards, I remain
Yours very truly.
7/HM/eS
Edison General File Series
1912. Birthday Greetings [not selected] (E-12-21)
This folder contains letters congratulating Edison on the celebration
of his sixty-fifth birthday.
Edison General File Series
1912. Book and Journal Orders (E-12-22)
This folder contains correspondence and other documents relating to
hooks sent to Edison or ordered by him, along with items pertaining to his
book collections in West Orange and Fort Myers and his subscription to news
clipping services. In addition to correspondence with Publishers and book
Hpaiprs there are letters from authors Robert Grau and Elbert G. Hubbard,
chemist Herman E Kiefer of the Edison Portiand Cement Co., and lon9t.me
associate Arthur Williams.
Approximately 20 percent of the documents have been selected. The
materia? not selected consists of routine orders, letters of transmittal,
unsolicited correspondence.
JLt^
QuSi'*'
Mr. H. F, Millor,
Edison Laboratories,
Orange, N.J.
My Dear Mr. Miller,
. Several weeks ago I sent Mr. Edison a copy of my
forthcoming book entitled "The Silent Bullets The Ventures of Craig
Kennedy, Scientific Detective." I wonder whether he has had a chance
to glance at* the thing, and, if eo, what he thinks of "science" and
" crime" 1
„ At the time, I asked whether he would he so kind as to
suggest in an interview some possible ways of using soienoe to detect
crime and he replied through you that he would be glad to write
later on the subject. I should be very glad to see him anytime at
his convenience, if you would be so kind as to bring the^matter to
his attention again. I recall that when I interviewed him last fall
for the "Century Magazine" he said .he- was very much interested in
detective stories.
Very sincerely yours,
B. J. Henley
HlSAT/m CULTURH SPECIALIST
SYRACUSE, IN
Mr. Thomas A. Edison,
Menlo Park,H.J.
My Pear Sir:-
J , ,
I was somewhat interested in a publishld iiitir-i(,
view with you in Sunday 'a paper, in which you expressed your/
views on Health and Long Life. J
My new boole, " THE ART 07 LOMOEVITY," embodies B
the principles expressed by you along these lines. and feeling
that the work would interest you, I hand you .under separate
cover, a complimentary copy of same.
Would be pleased to have your opinion of the
work after reviewing it.
Very truly x
\
Turlock, CalI.,R.F.D,#l,Boxl36, BEB. 20th,. 1812.
(Cayelapa) gj>
i Thomas F.disoi
New York, N.Y.
Dear Hr. Fdison'*-
I send you under
PRIMER, as a tribute and a reoognatlon and appreciation; of your many
wonderful. Inventions , I have followed you with. intense interest for
nearly thirty years, and recognize, in you t lie greatest inventor and bene¬
factor to the human family' of this age.
Very Respectfully and Sincerely Yours
Cw —
er my. new book, the SCIENTIFIC DIAL
: another <
Easts-
Aurora
rcrsr
February 21, 1912,
Saar Mr. Edison:-'
Will you please send us the names of some of
the Elect Few - those who have the open mind - whom
you think might appreciate The Fra, and thus extend
the circle of commonsonse!
You will be glad to know of the success of
our American Bible.
We are all supposed to be familiar with the "
words of. Franklin, Jefferson, Lincoln and Emerson -
but the fact is, the average -man isn’t. -
To'supply, in convenient' form,- the best that .
these great American prophets. have' said, and thus
help people to live wisely- and well,' now. and here.
Is surely being appreciated. Isn't the world
growing better! It looks like it.
With all kind wishes,
. Your sincere.
Thomas A. Edison,
Orange, N.J.,
eh/ab
March 2, 1912.
•V- i
Hr. Thomas A. Edison,
Orange , H . J •
Ky dear Ur. Edison:
I am sending you by express, pre-paid, vith
„y OOTOll»«t.. . i»«»> ^ °f "T“rt1' '‘',,rs °f
wt„udW'. i «»•<■ »“ f“ 11 ot
„„t It * »• considered ,ortW ei . »U» *»
Very truly yours,
.»W rfp
RHE : HLC .
_ _
Edison Portland Cement Co,
SALES OFFIOEBj
Telegraph, Freight and Passenger Station, NEW VILLAGE, N. J. ,
Sk HSa
P. o, address. STEWARTSVILLE, N. J.
’uiie 8ii , 1?H2.
- 19
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
ARTHUR CASSOT. Proprietor
Cambridge building
Cor. 5th Ave. and 33rd St., N. Y.
>»te JUN r3j9f#tate Ky
INTERVIEWING EDISON. ,
■ * -Mr. Chairman. I « n«o
rr.Wl rpowor. .)>T ' -
THE MANHATTAN
Press dipping Bureau
THE MANHATTAN =====
ARTHUR CASSOT, Proprietor
CAMBRIDGE BUILDING
Cor. 5th Ave. and 33rd St., N. Y.
new york paris London
Herald
Dat<3 IJ n 1 5 1st! •
President Says Investigation
Work Has Been Assisted
by the Inventor.
THE MANHATTAN
rr*“3 "in
ARTHUR CASSOT. Propriet
DAMDRIDGE building
Cor. 5th Ave. and 33rd N Y
— todh rAt;is ion;qin }
— Papcr Bu"ulin
San Francisco
D“'. , ,
tWvnnonyinous donor of $2,500,000 to
'fffio Massachusetts Institute °t Teohnol-
Jouy, tbo "Tdiorten We intWWWgd a
I large number of persona of wealth and a
reputation for generosity, only to bo met
with vigorous denials. Most those
'approached liavo been, complimented by
the imputation, so c„
hi highly gratifying. It Is not easy to un-
dcrataud, therefore, why Thomas A. lia¬
ison should have repelled with such.scorn'
and Indignation an interviewer's insinua¬
tion that lie was the .mysterious bcncloc-
' When -English literary circles were
-racked with curiosity over the author¬
ship of tho Wnvcrlcy novels, a dlnnef com-
A A.. _• Ara wr.inMllftuk to
^ard\vhcn it ^engaged, in technical edu-
n, ns the homo. o£ theorists. He
to realize that she himself is the
inspired dreamer. He
_ _ ...» phonograph and ^thc
wonderful Inventions and
gonius he did uot!
"technical training ncccr .
n in tho perfecting of
I inventions. At all our colleges and
nicnl schools aro hosts of young men
Edlsons, but who at
I ting themselves to’,follow, ot a_con
distance, .In his footsteps. N|
June 89 th, 1912
Editor and Chief,
Division of Jhihlications
U.S. Department of Agrioulture,
Washington, D.C.
Gentlemen
Kindly forward me one oopy of Farmers
Bulletin #497, and one oopy separate "Our Hid Paoifio Bird
Heservation", and oblige
Yours very truly,
Address
Box 870
Orange, K.J.
BUCHANAN & CO.,
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
“BIYONDE CIFliT X’’
(Beyond Zero) • )
^ rOREGLEAM OF
DOCTRINE Of't HE FUTURE
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
f!' '1
□ THE MANHATTAN PRESS CLIPPING BUREAU I
ARTHUR CASSOT, Proprietor
Cambridge Building, Entrance on 33rd Street
ESTABLISHED IN 188B
/ YORK _ July 6»-L^13,
#'
/
Mr. H. J. Miller, Secy.,
Laboratory of Mr. Thomas A. 'Edison, j
Orange, N.J.
My Dear Slr:-
Rep lying to your kind f avor /Concur ning press clipping
service concerning Mr. Thomas A. Mdisoijf^trtsc. , wo would ho glad to
supply you ah the special low cost of/ : ft 30 pak- thousand clippings
and to give your order our prompt and oar-afail attention covering
the entire country, and if you desire to include the foreign clippings
in this service.
_ - — - _ _
&-yz^.i<
'
U-^y-
Name.
Address
Your order for The Myth In
Marriage is very slow in arriving.
Have you been remiss or is
this one on Uncle Samuel?
Seriously, I want you to see
this book. Just sign the above blank
and I will send it along.
July 25, 1912
If you do not like the book,
return it at my expense.
Your sinoere,
Price
Thomas A. Edison
Orange, H. J.
EH:MER
Voteif
for
International
Disarmament
Good
Kg!?
Tree
Plant
Childrens
Gardena*
Oral
Right
Women
eouut
neLTLS
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
^oo^00
September
Twenty
19 12
Dear Sir:
Itlary Jlnderton
Adelina Patti
ltdcna modicska
Emma Abbott
tereta earrtno
Sir ebas. Ulvndbam
Cbco. tbomat’ Orthettra
P. S. ailntore't Band
Anton Rublniteln
Brand Optra in English
and author of
tilt successful book
"noted men and Women"
3butt«*
jDtnmtgrr rmfi (Awtljor
(3pem
praam
//j ^
rf&i* /7£**e
Jky>
*9 Uvute- *- * *e
<**>&***
%A&***&' V
JlSSCfc
Experience
managing
the Court ot
mary Jlnderton
Hdellna Patti
Helena modjetka
Emma Abbott
tereia (Karreno
Sir Chat. Ulvndham
tbeo. thom.it' Orckettra
P. s. Bllmore's Band
Union Rubinstein
Brand Opera In Engllth
the successful book
"noted men and Women”
3femt -r'r
(iHavutgn- ent{> ^utljor
<$pem
^ptroxtuw _
xfczzi <£f~
/f. '
0\{
<*?rw ‘
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
hc-i L ,
A
(jj t
utye iwrt|-IlTgtft>lfibrarg
’^3 Mr. Thomas A. Edis
Llewellyn Park,
New Jersey.
Dear Mr. Edison: -
,R|^
^October 00,Jf£l2
[
under separate 1
hhn^’e r.nnv of a v
-V
I am sending
cover, with my compliments, an ™'01' “ “j
little volume entitled "A New Chaptei in an Old
Story," which I believe will interest you because
of your own notable achievements.
It has been my purpose in this volume
+n set forth clearly the undeniable fact that our
great business and financiai institutions (our huge
industrial and mercantile triumphs) are the very
foundations of American civilization, economically
and sociologically.
The volume that I am sending to you
presents a specific instance in a single line of
trade It is in the nature of a business biog¬
raphy." It shows how a typical American industry
started from the most meagre beginnings, less than
nne hundred vears ago, and through genius and in
tegrity has become a large factor in the prosperity
of the nation; how through inyentiveskill and the
improvement of its products it has taken a very
portant part in all the movements of human progress.
I shall consider it an honor if you
will accept this little volume with my personal re¬
gards and grant me the value of your criticism.
Very respectfully,
P s. Kindly address me personally at 6Aie Searcli-
T.icht Library, 450 Fourth Avenue, New Aork.
3fewwsj W.
jltmwtger mb ,Airtlfor
(llpmt
tbe Court or
Iflary Andtrton
Adtllna Paul
Helena modlttlta
Emma Abbott
Cereta Carrcno
Sir eitat. Ulyndbam
Cbto. tbomaf orclttttra
P. S. Ellmort’t Bans
Anton Rublntltln
Brand Optra in English
tilt succtfstul book
/■p-sr (Sk™.
£<r~
cAfa do/S/V V//JL
^ M -rc^' ^ ■
rfCT” — .
Irts~yfrt<
rtffzzzzjvf-' (tf- i-ttk^x.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
NEATEST AND MOST THOROUGHLY DONE
Subscribe now and receive the benefit of all
personal reference and clippings on any subjects or
' Trade, from all papers and periodicals here and
The Manhattan Press Clipping Bureau
334 FIFTH AVENUE
Entrance on 33rd St, New York
Please find herewith .
for which send me press clippings until forbid about
myself and the following subjects . .
Date .
Have your Clippings arranged into handsome Library
Scrap-Books, Morocco Back (14x16) $15 to $25. Card
Albums for all events, bound in full select Morocco or
Levant with ornamentation in gold, at $75 to $100.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
SOME OF OUR PATRONS '
The Albums 'of Clippings made up for President Porfirio Diaz,
and Vice-President Ignatius Mariscal, . of Mexico, were very satisfac¬
tory— George D. Cook
I am much pleased with your promptness in sending me clippings
about my books, etc.— PROF. BRANDER MATTHEWS
Archbishop Farley
St. Patricks Cathedral
William Waldorf Astor
Wm. G. McAdoo Thomas A. Edison
■ Geraldine Farrar Enrico Caruso
The Astor, Lenox and Tilden Library
New York University Am. Foresty Association
U. S. Navy. League National Geographic Society
University of'Chicago Nat'l Educational Association
McClure Magazine
Colliers Weekly Atlantic. Monthly
F. verybodys Magazine National Magazine
G. P. Putnam’s Sons Dodd, Mead & Co.
Manhattan Press Clipping Bureau
(Sambrftg? luilbtttg, 334 Jffiftlj AtmtUf
Cor. Jth Ave. & 33rd St. Sfeut Jorh
THE NATIONAL SOCIALIST
TYPOGRAPHICAL TEMPLE
Thomas A. Edison,
Orange,
Hew Jersey.
P^ecer,
5, mis.
Dear sir:-
At the request of Allan L. Benson .of Yonkers, Hew York,
we have entered your name on the mailing list of The National
Socialist and have ordered a copy of G. R. Kirkpatrick's
"War-What For" from the publisher to be 3ent to you.
$ery truly yours,
THE NATIONAL SOCIALIST.
. 2/**. 7->V2
fiyi -*l tk**te. &UA£ -dljzen a^te ■4/' £**>-**-*.
■&L*2***c'-V&t4 i*l***c *?!>-**■
t'xn*6*ut>et-ut& vCvt^M* c ; : ee ':t' , " f **;
tsCeef>p. 7~-*&tk> ^suiitut -*C*a4 c*t~t**-e*>c
^e, e^- ex ~Z>-rv-£ «*«. sz£*-c ee**p<xes. ,
tCx* /“**, /V-**#**^*? . ^H£x*£+ep£.
/-1%£ -gae/t&t xU ^ *** c%g*^,p(ets*~exZtxJ
^e^ipe. S S^Le. p ^Ze^e-pp
«. ^ 4S*
^ A* *** &****■ ‘/ f*™' ***t~*C
J5r+*t^i s
<7 £3 ^
jr.J&SZz**
Gturtut UoK
Edison General File Series
1912. Business Propositions [not selected] (E-12-23)
This folder contains unsolicited correspondence asking for Edison's
support or endorsement of a business venture, invention, or idea. Among the
documents for 1912 are letters requesting Edison s ideas on highway
development.
Edison General File Series
1912. Cement (E-12-24)
This folder contains correspondence and other documents relating to
the business of the Edison Portland Cement Co. and to the manufacture and
sale of cement. I ncluded are letters regarding Edison's widely publicized plans
to produce concrete for roadways and to use concrete in the manufacture of
phonograph cabinets and other furniture. Among the correspondents are
Edison's personal representative and chief engineer Miller Reese Hutchison,
H. Burdick of the Cement Cabinet Department, Walter S. Mallory of the
Edison Portland Cement Co., and New Jersey State Highway Commissioner
Edwin A. Stevens. Also included is a handwritten note from Edison to Donald
M. Bliss, Hutchison's predecessor as chief engineer, concerning molds for
cabinets, along with a communication from Bliss regarding the dismissal of
several employees in the cabinet department who went on strike for higher
wages.
Approximately 30 percent of the documents have been selected. Most
of the selected letters contain Edison's reply in the form of marginalia. The
items not selected consist primarily of unsolicited correspondence that
received no reply or only a perfunctory response from Edison.
ofrrft* _
fyfaljaA
(3y-f \ Ait
(Ssy*- o(x&Y'r G<rnjr ^V\ C^/t-
CUZyn_ 'jp-'t'A l «■' £ t cci /f
jT.
display,
(^4r^
0^
Zz , /i. fz'-ff'. yZC^/Z z Z/ ( Zr>. ''
J. j? ' '%t/e»t.
, izff y,?/i‘3
•I*
J anuar^iL-6-t
‘EhoBiaB A ■ Edison, Esq*,
Llewellyn Park, N, J
Bear Sir:-
You are a busy
y A,
'{4/y&
y zv z% a
^ 'V'Vw"
busy v ^ , v\
large handlers of furniture in San Iranoiseo, a OU^of^
many oonorete buildings. ^ tZ jP)
we are interested in the idea of reinforce^ _ Jf
eonorete furniture. We understand that you hare keen
working on these lines for some time and would ha pleased^
to hear from you whether this furniture has passed its j/
experimental stage and whether you are ready to put same
on the market on a eommerieal basis.
Thanking you for any information you may gire
us regarding this, we are,
Tours wery truly,
E. N. * E. WALTER t CO. ?
(/Mg !
Phomas A. Edison, Esq.,
Orange, IT. J.
Dear Hr. Edison:
On o T' about Hovember 10, 1911 I had t.ne
olensure of a personal interview with you, and at that
time you were kind enough to show me concrete ixn-^
ished 'ey various methods, sucji as .or iUrnuuie, ^
•ohones, etc. and you advised me ut that time thc.t cu
Crete could he made absolutely damp-proox .
We are just about to make alterations and addi¬
tions in one of our breweries, and are going to finish
ceilings and walls with concrete, and n occurea ,o me
that if it were possible for me to nave the vallo and
ceilings finished in a similar method as the various
concrete articles you showed me, that it would be of
great advantage.
The requirements would be that the finish he
absolutely damp-proof, filling up all the pores of the
concrete, and also acid-prooi, wmcn ^nerctea uy
fermentation of the beer and this should ha -
unon the finish, and that water and oeer be splasheu
against it without effecting the same.
I would be greatly pleased if you would kindly
advise me as to the above, and also li your .irm does
this kind of work, and if not, you could prooaoly^vi^
me by whom I could have this done. -
Awaiting your reply, I
Yours very
ADDRESS ALL COMMUNICATIONS TO THE COMPANY.
iWi»; a
bJf* s' j--' V\
Mr. Frank L» Dyer, v
O/o 'i'hos. A. Edison Co.f
Orange,] ^
Dear Sir: . A®'*'
Can yon give ns any info rmation\r e garSing
tiie new concrete furniture that is being built ( a recent
invention of Mr. Edison) ? We are distributers in this sectior
for your Talking Machines and Records and ranild be pleased to
have yon communicate with us and advise there this Purnituie
will be shown and. cost cf same. V/e are desirous of being the
first ones in this location to make a showing of such.
tn-teA^eeted me yA-eotty tn tte deocA-tbt-ion of tbe eoneA/ete tnVn-ftuA-e
that yea btan to but on the maA-bet at an eavty date and •$ baoe eai>-
tbe nemobabev ettbbtny to- u-oe ae a baote of tbto tetter* -3l am oendtny
•to you .•
•i am tnteA^eted tn Sdueattonat tuoA-b and am in the eoutb at
t hie time in the tnteA-eet of- eebooi matteve and on A,eadtnq tbe dee-
eeA-tbtton of- tbe eone-Ve-te fuA.nttuA,e tt oecuA/aed to me that ouob f-aV
r.-LtaVe woutd be moot bA/actteat f-oV oo boot uoe botft tn tbe ooboot —
A-oome and tbe borne deboA/tment of- boaA-dtny eeboofo and jSbat -X moutd
ttbe to be a faeteA. tn tfte tntA.odu.etton of oueb fuA-nttu'ae tn tbe
oobooto ^eebectatty tn tbto eoutbeA.n baAt of ouA. aoun-tvy and -1 uooutt
wou-td ttbe oeA-y mueb too ,to baoe tbe ttbeA-ty- of mabtny aome ouyyeo>
ttoii ae to tbe otyte outtabte -foA. ooboot u-oe .
-jbto eoutbtand ouybt affoA-d an exeetfent maA-bet ioA, oaob -it
fuA/nttuA/e ao deooA/tbed owtny to tbe muab toiueA- bA/teeo and tbe yA-eat
need tbeA-e to toA, tbe A^f uA-n-tobtng- of tto oebooto and cotteyee.
3be yA-eat numbeA. of bu-nyafouio betny butt-t tn tbte ctty
atone, oaybt to affoA-d an' exoettent maA.bet foA, tbto btnd of taA-*
ntobtny .
IhoutA the
ijo-u eo-no-lde'i, »■
t-torv o-t yoa'i. c
3fionftirm
U.MA aUieie 'teieWed to- a6»ue U a tVutt »Ui
w „,ame <*, an abbUoant fc* on oqsncy -ttvUodac
ancWfce {.u/un-ttu^e -Into- tts ocIWU.?
ijo-u. in aduanae la\ a Wo-tu , -i om
UcVi* einee’vety
(Aj £.y.
Q-anuaVif S'o’tfu * 1^12
21 Soot Cindsn (
Qtfcanto, Qi
>,ua,y |cl I ’
01^
t-v. H. ii. hi,tle\ on ji
». t. .
^ ^ yS&rk
■Sn xe'?in to 14011, tette, dotted 3s6,uW,y lot. iqi2
1 aoh you if- «e,e to any ^oo-ttiUty & V-, taUn,
ujs the matte, of- ".aUny tu,nttu,s ot eonCete -ui-th^n a
„ea,f,om no., 7- ».y ^aoon to, dotnq oo to ieoaooe &. a,
v,o?eed to ou'ae, intend the ,e- tu,n to htn„ of a oehoot h*,e
tn the oouth and i .outd tihe to, oeoe,at ,eaoon0 t*y
«. ex;oe,iment ot uoin, the tu,nito,e that VeteWed
to trv the avtiete 1 *u>te ot tn my !o,eotouo tette,.
flfconWn* you tn adoanee fo, a ,e^M , L am
\)e,y oince,ety
Hessrs. Bliss: Burdick: oomont oaMnots, the inport ant
thing to do. and I olhor^nlmto^ial
sys grsws: ajar jas??1 Jssrsr-^ -*
gladly oompute thorn-
8/88/18. / 0. H. Wilson*
Copios to Messrs. 3 din on: Dyer: Rodfoam-
February 26, 1912.
Mr. Edison, -
I understand the collapsing of seTeral cement
dams has been due to disintegration of the cement by alkali
in the water that is being dammed up. I recently read a
report of some engineer who claims he has been able to
remove cement from parts of a dam, by means of a tin oup .
You have several times mentioned to me various
properties possessed by Edison Portland Oement, that is
not possessed by other cement. Why would it not be a good
plan to make a noise about these properties, and have them
written in on Government specifications? The Government
is using a great deal of cement, and it seems to me some
value should be attached to superior cement.
Sometime, when you think of it, give me a little
lecture on cement, and when 1 get the opportunity, X will
compile a little booklet on the subject, which to.
Mallory may find of sufficient value to distribute.
M. R. HUTCHISON,
MJJOKJSMN ,OT5 JWJ5 4 »TP TO 'HffTC SOTHEBSTTS
ISTaJWlf&MSIK:
Laboratory of Thomas A. Edison,
Mr. H. F. Miller, Secretary,
Orange, Hew Jersey.
Dear Sin —
I notice the statement in one of our'1' trade
papers thut the cement furniture of Mr. Edison will be exhibited
at the Cement Show In Chicago, and this reminded me of the
correspondence which passed between us in January last.
We were disappointed in not being able to have
some of this furniture on exhitlon at our January Exposition.
We will, however, hold another one in July, and trust we will
be able to arrange with you by that time so thut we can have an
exhibit of this concrete furniture in our building during the
progress of the July Exposition.
Yours truly,
HEW YORK FTJRHITtTRE EXCHANGE,
MANAGER,
CONCRETE PUBLISHING COMPANY
Mr. Shoe. A- Edison.
Orange, N. J.
We thank you very muoh.
Yours very truly, _
O0HCRBTE PUBLISHING COMPANY.
W/S
J
April 18th, 1918
Kr. 1’. Weber
BnclOKOd find order for night (8) special onrB as
designed by C. 17. Hunt « Go. This makes a total, received and
under order, of IP oars.
Tho reason for ordering this amount is that .1
have keen notified by our Hr. Holdornoss that, ho intends having
about 10 sets of ’moulds roady for manufacture in tho next few
weeks.
II. 3rcr flick
H3/bS Cement Cabinet Dept.
/
Copy to Mossra. Bliss- Hainan- looming .
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Jr^f-^-TTV
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
Ur. Thomas A. Edison,
Edison Laboratory,
Orange, Hew Jersey.
.-.t. p.%
and statements of faotB relating to oonoroto products. pv’p-
I seem to be up against a hard condition. X appreciate the ^
value of the industry I have described. Others here know of the , J
ease and economy of manufacture, but they oannot Comprehend the f V
magnitude into which the enterprise will develop. >
There are but few manufacturing industries in this part ^ „
of our country .therefore those who have money look upon all t
manufactories about the same as Eastern people look upon mines.
manulactorie^Q^r condltlonB> i would have enough money to go P *
ahead on, but all engineers have been hungup duringthe P*nt •'
three years in the mountain country. I was working in Mexico,
and doing well, but had to get out of there , of course.
I have my Polo subject up with Y/m.J. Clark relating to the*
East. Ur. Clark was here in Denver. 1 have it up also with m^ny
good men in various parts of the West and Canada. A
Think X have about completed arrangements for thl
tion of a complete plant here in Denver. |
I am relating my troubles to you in hopes that yiu may i
vise me concerning a way out of them. You have passed through the £
same difficulties in the past, and I just thought that yoji might Jt
help me out with but a few w®ds of advice , surely they would be ep>
prooiated. I think possibly that Mr .Clark w^la^y^^outthio.
P X want you to remember what Jones.. It S the same Jones ^
you remember- Battle Creek Lake , Eclipse of the Sun, Larpnie Jones,,
who visited you on various occasions at your Laboratory. j *
Well- Jones would appreciate a little good advic^..
What kind of medicine must I use to induoe somebody to take
a hand with me in this enterprise? j
Yours Very Truly (
uGcdi«m.
The Edison Portland Cement Co.
O. address. STEWARTSVILLE. N.J.
September 5, 1912.
We have been at work for some time
on the question of the concrete road with Col. Stevens,
of the Hew .Jersey State Highway Dept., with result that
Hr. E. M. Vail, one of the Highway Dept, engineers, and
Mr. J. R. Thatcher, Director of the Warren County Board
of Freeholders, have been to Detroit and made a personal
inspection of the concrete roads, and have returned home
very enthusiastic as to what they saw.
At a conference held yesterday in
Washington, IT. J., it was practically decided to build
one mile of road on the turnpike between Washington and
Phillipsburg, starting just West of the canal bridge,
which you will doubtless remember is West of Hew Village,
and which passes the Shillinger mill. We have agreed to
sell the cement for this road on the basis of 50^ per
barrel, and also to furnish the crushed dolomite at cost
of quarrying and crushing, and the local contractor has
agreed to charge only the actual cost of labor, without
he is anxious to get a line on the real
any profit,
cost. The Association of American Portland Cement Manu¬
facturers has also agreed to furnish without expense
the services of its road expert, and every paine will
he taken to put down a perfect job. There only remains
some small details to he arranged with CoJ^. Stevens, and
then we will he able to get the work under way promptly.
Yours very truly,
President.
November 1, 1912.
Mr. MALLORY,
Office.
Dear Sir:-
Col . E. A. Stevens and yfc . E. M. Vail,
Division Engineer, visited the sample jpiie of concrete
highway this morning during a heavy rain, and although
the conditions were extremely unfavorable for the work,
the mixer was run for them and Col. Stevens seemed highly
pleased, not only with the progress that had been made,
but with the appearance of the completed work.
The question of filling the shoulders
came up, and we volunteered to supply them with cinder,
as per attached carbon copy of letter to Col. Stevens.
Col. Stevens is more enthusiastic than ever for concrete
roads, and is now cooperating with Mr. Ransome, of the
Raneome Concrete Machinery Co., who is endeavoring to
design a mixer that will largely eliminate the hand labor
now required to load the raw material into the hopper.
Mr. Ransome, he informs us, has prepared designs of such
a mixer. This feature shows that Col. Stevens' intention
of building more concrete highways during 1913 is being
maintained by him.
Yours very truly,
HCW-RBS -
ENCLOSURE:- 2
November 1, 1912,
Col. Ji. A. elevens,
State Highway Commiooionor,
Trenton, H. J.
v/c wish to confirm our conversation with
you of this morning, in reference to cindor for filling
the shoulders of the sample mile of concrete highway be¬
tween Ctewartsville and New Village, J.
This Company will load and deliver to
the Railroad Co. free of charge to the .State, sufficient
cinder for your requirements. The tranoporation charge
from Row Village to fltewartoville would bo '5.00 per car,
leaving only the unloading at Gtewartsville and haulage
to be paid by the Rtate. This, we think, would make a
cheap and entirely satisfactory filling for the purpose
intended.
In discussing with our Mr. Y/« H. Mason
your recent interview with Mr. Ransomc, of the Iiansome
Concrete Machinery Co., Mr. Mason was very much inter¬
ested in the proposed mixer, and would be very Glad to
give you the benefit of his experience with mixers, and
would be pleased to look over the plans of this mixer
when you have then, and make any ouf-cootiona that may
occur to him.
yours very truly,
KUIScrn 1'0KTJA:U) Ch.' i:
cc.
JICV/-JU3K
Up to December 1st, $7602.27 has
been expended in the Cement Cabinet Department,
outside of the salary of Mr. Holderness, who is on
the laboratory pay roll.
This for your information.
35. J. B2RGGHEN(g>
EJB-XES
Copy to Mr. C. H. V/ilson
fj
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Edison General File Series
1912. Cement House (E-12-25)
This folder contains correspondence relating to the widely publicized
development of Edison's poured concrete house as well as to other
architectural uses of concrete. Most of the letters are unsolicited requests for
information about the house and its expected date of availability. Many items
contain Edison marginalia indicating that he had not completed the molds for
the house and that a prepared circular should be sent in response. Other
letters concern the protection and development of Edison's patents abroad,
including his attempt to prevent former employees Henry J. Harms, Jr., and
George E. Small from setting up a concrete house business in Holland. A
communication from master machinist Robert A. Bachman pertains to
experiments with cement mixtures. A few letters mention visitors to Edison's
laboratory in West Orange, New Jersey.
Approximately 20 percent of the documents have been selected. With
the exception of a few samples, unsolicited inquiries have not been selected.
%//c /~^ 6
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* kc. ^*** fr^clit^ • \ jy&il^aUl dda/^, aconf.**^^
s •*■**■ yj^u *■**+■ *#**■
4*Qt '****• , 1™“' ,
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7*" 7^5 t * .a*
■cement bourses and an very greatly interest od in then, "o are
try in-; bore to create an ideal snail college . Ve shall soon need
sono now buildings. I want to build dornitorios with jiJ 1 ,
twelve or sixteen room each. I want them to bo fire proof, water
proof, and boy proof. I shall bo glad to have fron you suggestions
as to the practicability of building suah dormitories of conoat.
" o do not want to experiment ; but whenever it is positivoly known that
suoh buildings can ho erected wo want to build one.
Thanking you in advance for any information . or.
suggestion that you nay nnke, T am.
Yours truly,
Manufacturers Record
Baltimore, Md. , Feb. 5, 1912^-
\^Lr* ^
lir. Thomas A. Edison,
Orange , H . J
Dear Sir:
Last week the Galveston (Tex.) News published an
article purporting to present details of a plan to build a
-nodel town at Port Bolivar near Galveston, the houses to be
L working men and to be poured one piece concrete structures
according to the Edison patents.
The only name mentioned in connection with the pro¬
position is that of Leslie K. Hendrickson, who is said to repre-
„»t „e. YooK ooneraotora .ho ... .»»*■
for purchasing the Thonao *. Mioon p.tonto Too one ploco eon
crete houses.
Can you give us any particulars regarding this enter-
priseT If so, we will appreciate a reply by RETURN KAIL contain
inG au the facts available for publication at this time.
Very truly yours,
• MANUFACTURERS RECORD.
Thoa Alva Edison ,East Orange N.T.
Western auntralian government giving attention to erection workers
homes on extensive scale professor mills when here mentioned your
proposals regarding economical construction will you supply definite
information respecting same and can we utilize for such purposes
cost of reply will be defrayed by this government.
J. Scaddan Premier
HOUSTON REAL ESTATE EXCHANGE
Houston. Texas,
Your 3 very since rely,
Hr. Thomas A. Edison,
West Orange,
My dear Hr. Edison:
Hr. J.Symonds of Sydney, Australia, is making a tour ofj
world investigating appliances and methods for building, i
ing. He carries with him letters of introduction from h:
ment officials in Australia. IVe have known his firj
for many years. He writes me that he has received
to get information regarding cheap house constructioi
to discuss the natter with you, or with someone whom you will
Hot having your address he has sent a letter to you through r
I enclose this letter, not, however, snowing anything about its
contents.
MrSSymonds is one of the most wide-awake and progressive
foreigners that I have ever met. He would be an excellent man to
become interested in your plan of poured houses. •
With best v/ishes for your continued good health, believe
Enclosure 1
SW.P
Yours sincerely,.
^jb&LCOA.
Har. 6th, 1912
Kr . J. 3ymonds,
The St. Charles,
Hew Orleans, in.
Dear Sir : -
Yo\ir fn-vor of the 28th Tilt. In regard to my poured
concrete houses for Australia has reached mo through the kind¬
ness of Kr. Spencer Hiller, of the lidgerwood Hnnufacturing
Company of Hew work.
Yon will find enclosed a small pamphlet, giving
a general outline of my scheme for pouring concrete houses.
Thin pamphlet wub prepared for the purpose of giving information
to n large nunhor of inquiries arising out of a public exhibit
of a model of the first type of houses whioh 1 propose to have
constructed a little later on.
It ?/as my intention to have gotten this enterprise
started sometimo ago, and I had a oorpa of engineers, draughts¬
men and meohenios at work for over two years preparing the draw¬
ings, patterns and moulds for this first type of house. As the
work was approaching completion, other important natters arose
in connection with my Phonograph, Storage Battery and Hotion
Picture Enterprises. These being active enterprises. Which must
be kept going, and the poured house not yet having reached Its
J.S.
(2)
Har. 6/12/
commercial stage , the ohoico naturally lay In favor of m y aotive
interests. Consequently, 1 have boon devoting ny energies to
those things entirely during the Inst two years, working night
V and day to lntroduoe improvements for doveloping them on the
most Modern lines and building then up.
Hence, the Poured House has of necessity received
hut little of my attention during that time. It has not been
altogether neglected, however, for the preparation of the moulds
has been going on, and they and the patterns have been prepared
to a large extent . Phe moulds for the cellar and part of the
first story are now erected in one of the yards adjoining our
factories here.
I believe I can sec my way clear to take up the
subject again in the noar future, at which time I expect to
resume work on the project and carry it to completion. It may
be of interest to add that pourings into a few of the moulds
have been mads, especially of ornamental parts, and the results
have been highly satisfactory and promise well for the ultimate
production of complete structures in accordance with my ideas.
Some of these parts have been out in the yards continuously for
nearly throe years, through all conditions of weather, and they
show practically no signs of wear or dofaooment.
I shall he glad to take up the eubjoct with you at
some subsequent time, Which I hope may he in the not remote future.
SAS/SS
Yours very truly.
March 7, 19M,
ltm. tu^~ ^d«~<*£A -<-
ison . ^ ^ ■ pc- We «-**-
On the poured concrete bollse we had intended to use the
-<MrO .
following mixture:
r sharp sand and five 1/4 inch
in flowing and also finish.
at such a state where the aggregate would he suspended at least 30
seconds before disappearing below the surface; coarse aggregate to
be used on side walls and other places where folwing was not necess!
I had used no loam or foreign material in connection with experiment
L rotten stone mixed with oil thoroughly
let the mixture stand for 1
using the sediment as a was
For two hours and pouring the oil off the top,
i wash for the faoe of the forms. Crude oil^
as well, but will not give the assurance of
smooth finish that rotten stoi
jo-oalled soapstone will give,
U>4j Zah 1&. Cavvv<S-vvf CO ii” (sz C*-Cj \ laXjZoCi tru
RAbT^bI f* ^jeAj6> ^ *■*«*> "flrt % or §
To Cf,c T T C-O «-££*,
Cc^^fTo et* TT VO <*&*** c^tAC .^ k.^ o.
©ucr "td b/ta- ^ <■*>-**%&
j^c i-f «»• -r** €a~ *“* <£*.
Mar. 9th, 1912
To Hie Kxoellency The Minister,
Landhonw, Han cl el & Industrie,
The Haggle, Holland.
Dear Sir:-
At an interview with Mr. K. Laernos of Ylissingen,
Holland, at ny Laboratory here, during v/hich he stated that it
was the desire of your government to erect poured concrete h&mos
for your worlcingroen, I promised him that I would communicate to
you the formula for the concrete mixture which after much experi¬
ment I have found satisfactory and successful for the purpose. •
The mixture is composed of one part of finely ground
cement, tvo parts of sharp sand, and five parts of one-quarter
inch aggregate. These ingredients are to he mixed with water
in such proportion that when the mixture is made the aggregate
will remain suspended at least 30 seconds before disappearing
helow the surface. Coarse aggregate may he used on Bido walls
and other places where flowing is not necessary.
When the concrete mixture is pouredr.it should he
agitated with long poles to keep it in motion for 2 or 3 minutes
after pouring. This action agitates the whole of the freshly
poured concrete, causes the fine cement to go to the wallB and
nakes a fine siirface. At the same time it permits all the air
to get out..
(2)
Kar. 9th, 1912
The amount of water should he considerable, so
that the concrete mixture is ' Quite thin, and so that one may
thrust his arm in it to its full length with erect ease, hut
not so thin as to permit the one-quarter inch pieces o^ rock
aggregate to settle out. They should remain in suspension
for half a minute.
in order to keep the surface of the moulds free
of the mixture, I use "rottenstone", thoroughly mixed with oil-
Let this mixture stand for t-.vo hours, and then pour the oil
off and use the sediment freely upon the faces of the moulds.
Crude oil, or petroleum machine oil, alone will work almost
as well, hut will not assure such as smooth finish as will he
obtained if rottenstone or so-called soapstone is used as
above indicated.
If your engineers will do some experimenting to
acquire facility in the handling of the materials as I have
described, you should find no difficulty in obtaining the same
results that we have had here.
The above is presented to your Government with
assurances of my deep respect.
Yours very truly.
tae/bs
.‘‘2‘Aone, MaMxan '6227.
(2. 2$. ^ (aynes ($r (2o.}
jisori
Who
ofis and « ^ecorc/s
onocfrapfis anc
m?£s2%A,, an* Jtit Supplies. P. o. Box 80 i.
^Batteries. BEHOVED TO 1/ * 1/ , C / C
tat earth. y/ UKOAI) ST & •Jvortn Oeuenth Otreet.
RICHMOND.
i'i ■ ■■
y\y/
Mr. Thos. A. Edison
Orange, K. J.
Dear Sir:-
Vfe are about to construct the first cement, house with
the use of F.eichert Iron Moulds, per illustration attached. Tie want
to know from you if this house is poured with a slush mixture of one,
threo, and five, is there liable to be any condensation of moisture
on the inside walls. If such is liable what process will we use to
avoid It? Tie know you nre a busy man, but we would like to have a
reply to this letter as soon as possible. Before we go ahead we want
to hear from you.
Yours very truly,
C. B. Haynes & Co.
Diet. C.B.H.
IM* umSp'- « IUvsA. “A 13 ' g
Th ^
<Iam — df*e*ko~X ■f*’ • ft ^
tlUw «*«**•*> Aa4L»
WILLIAM -WELLES -BOSWORTH.
April 16, 1912
My
dear Mr. E3ison:
iou may remember my bringing
Mr. Henry Baoon out to see you. The i'ine Arts
Commission selected him to prepare plans for the
lineoln Memorial in Washington. We agreed , as
you know, to get up for you a design for a simpler
type of concrete house.
We made some sketches
which were never completed owing to the pressure
of other things and because you gave us to
understand that you would not be in a position
to use the sketcheB until the moulds for your
first house had been completed.
I am writing now to
inquire if the time has arrived when you wouia
be interested to see our ideas of "chaste simplicity'.'
well.
Hoping that you are very
Yours sincerely.
wwb/amg
Ur
s.A. EdiBon,
Orange, How Jersey
My dear Sir
7U*
Boston, Mass
/SL*.*rV>\ VCe ‘
an. im.-wcU *-*
May 9th, 19 ;s.
view of
• ttsr a~ T\
Hy son is looking into tha ^i^oncjele^ickj^^
>no or mors plants, provic&ng^a$er investigation £ho /
£a?
Building one or mors plants
tion looks sound, and he has this
_ jigation the proposi-
Jafforson and Garden City, long Is lan d^a porting *o
toll him that this unit concrete Brisk iry an invention. M'-r^comir'^aa-^
Vf£t»XCJifc 3-s*»». */wsWt ■* /
tion of yours (which, I am not quite^ sure] tat LJ^\djl^^S7I0W) and
that if same is properly prepaid it fJkj
overcome porosity.
The great point in my mind is whether unit concrete Brick, as
made at Garden City, when laid forming an air space, could Be used in
construction of dwelling houses in Hew England without having a further
air space Botweon the wall and plastering to prevent moisture in the house
or keep paper from dropping off.
Am aware that I am presuming on your valuable time , But if you
can answer this it will Be greatly appreciated.
Yours very truly,
^ 7^,
.CL^e-J’
May 9, 1912.
Mr. Meadowcroft:
I have just sent off to Mr. Laernoes in Holland
the papers relating to Mr. Edison's oement house invention,
with a letter, a qopy of whioh is attaohed hereto.
HL-JS
hui^l'Pkj'
s| <H""s1rC*Z'nr
Ji-erUc^
JL dCS&et <uoci
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
May 9,
1912.
Mr. Morten Laomoos ,
Boulevard Evortsen Ho. 12,
Vlissingon, Holland.
Dear Sir:-
In response to your communications of April 18, 1912
to Mr. Edison, and in aooordanoe with Mr. Edison's instruotions,
I onolose herewith tho following documents:-
A oopy of tho Bpoclfioation and drawings in :.ir.
Edison's application on Cement Buildings and Prooess of Con-
struoting Samo, as filed in the United States patent effioo
August 13, 1908.
A oopy of the specification and drawings in Mr.
Edison's application on Molds for Conoreto Construction, as
filod in tho United States Patent Office December 29, 1908.
A powor of attorney, signod and acknowledged by Mr.
Edison and logalizod by the Consul Coneral of ?he Motherlands
in Hot; York, to yourself and others, authorizing you to do
oortain acts in connection with these applications and in
other matters as set forth therein.
Mr. Edison's inventions relating to cement
houses have boen partially disclosed on pages 519 et soq. ana
937 et soq. of Vol. 2 of tho work entitled "Edison: Hie Life
and Inventions, by Prank I. Dyer and 7. C. Martin, published
by Harper Bros in Hew York and London, 1910.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
jrr. Merten memos - ;"2
Under Artiole 2 of tho new patent law of Holland,
it would appear that neither Hr. Edison nor anyone else can
now obtain a patent in Holland on such parts of these inven¬
tions as are described in this publication.
It would also appear that Messrs. Harms « Small
could be prevented from obtaining a patent in Holland on
any of these inventions by virtue of Article 9.
Yours very truly,
General counsel
HL-JS
Bncs.
Kay 10th, i9ir
Mr. I~. laernon ,
Boulevard liver t sen. Ho. 2,
Tlisningon, Holland.
My a ear Sir:-
Oiur leg:'! hopartment have just forwarded to you a
complete set of papers that mil? enable you to successfully
defeat the illegal attempts of infringers to exploit Hr. HA icon's
poured cement house indentions in Holland .
I also Bend you, in addition, copy of p. letter
which Hr. iidison wrote on March 9th to your Minister in ac¬
cordance with the promise made at the interview which X had
with you in February last. You will now be in possession of
full information and X trust it will be sufficient to enable
you to accomplish the end in view.
Yours very truly.
\7HH/eS
Hay 28th, 1912
Hr. Iiflornoes,
YlisBingen,
Holland .
Hy dear Sir:-
Your esteemed favor of the 13th instant lias
heen duly received, and its contents. carefully noted,
X have consulted with T?r. T'.discn in regard
to yom- siigg esti. on , and he has authorised me to request
our legal Department to prepare the declaration suggested
hy you.
This matter will he put into the hands of
the legal department today, with the request that this docu¬
ment 7,/hen prepared and executed shall he forwarded to you.
Yours very truly.
T?Ifli/3S
(Copy for Mr. Meadoworoft )
May 29, 19X2
Mr. Morten Laernoes,
Boulevard Evertsen Bo. 12,
Vlissingen, Holland
Dear Sir:-
Mr. Edison has instructed the Legal Department to
take up the matter of the request contained in your letter of
May 13th addressed to Hr. Meador; croft . On the 9th of May
we sent you a power of attorney which is apparently adequate
for present needs. Vo provide for the contingency mentioned
in your letter, I would suggest that you prepare a suitable
license, granting to yourself and your associates sufficient
rights under the applications relating to the ousting of
cement houses which you have filed or are about to file in
Holland on Hr. Edison’s inventions, to enable you to carry
out your plans. If you will send me a copy of such license
with the translation, I shall have it exeouted by Mr. Edison,
provided it meets with his approval.
Yours very truly,
General Counsel.
May 29th, 1912
Mr, J. fe. Monnot,
r 31 Hue Daru,
i’aris, France.
My dear Mr. Monnot:
At Mr. Edison’s request I am
sending you enolosed, a letter from Mr. G. 3.
Albanese, of your City, together with a pamphlet
relating to concrete houses.
It appears from this letter
and pamphlet that these oonorete poured houses
are being made in Europe under alleged patents of
Messrs. Harms and Small.
The facts are as follows:
These two men. Harms and small,
were engaged by Mr. Edison several years ago as
draftsmen' to help him get up. the moulds and to
work out the detail of the poured oonorete house,
as invented by. Mr. Edison.
These men were engaged merely
as draftsmen to work under Mr. Edison’s instruc¬
tions, and as suoh beoame acquainted with all the
details and secret processes regarding the making
of these poured houses.
These men had nothing to do
with inventing any part of the system, and were
merely employees aoting under Mr. Edison’s direc¬
tions entirely.
After a while Mr. Edison
beoame convinced that there were some irregularities
in their behavior, and he discharged them.
Mr. J. 3. Mon not :
-2-
5-2S-12
Mr. Harms is a Hollander, and Mr. Edison
learned, subsequently that he and Small went over to
Holland and claimed that they were the Inventors' of the
system of pouring oonorete houses, and in some way they
raised some capital and proceeded to make some moulds
and to ereot a small house under this ^stem.
It appears that they have taken out
patents in Holland and in Franoe, and we believe in other
oountries, but they are simply making use of Mr. Edison's
invention without his consent.
In other words they have appropriated
it entirely, claiming that they were the inventors, which
is absolutely untrue.
Mr. Edison thinks that it would be a
good thing for you to advise some of the people interested
over there that Harms and small patents are no good. The
invention is Mr. Edison’s and it had been published before
these two men went into his employ.
It is apparent that the people in Europe
do not understand the facts in the case, for if they did
Harms and Small oould not engage capital in an enter¬
prise which is supposed to be- protected by patents.
Mr. Edison has already warned the people
in Holland, and they have taken steps to defeat the patents
of Harms and Small in that Country.
As you are probably, aware, this is a
philanthropic enterprise on Mr. Edison’ part, in order
to give the working men a sanitary and moderate priced
home, and he does not want to see his objeot defeated
by two unprincipled men who have appropriated his
invention and claimed it as their own.
The question might be asked you, why
does not Mr. Edison go ahead and complete this house
himself . In reply to that let me say that Mr. sal son
has been so overwhelmingly busy the last, two or three
years in attending to his obvious Interests, BUoh as
ihonographs. Motion Fiotures, Storage lotteries, and
other businesses, that he has not had the time to
devote to complete this system of pouring concrete
houses.
If he had commenced the aotual ex¬
ploitation of this product so as to put it on the
market, he would, of course have been compelled to
devote suffioient time to follow it up.
Mr. J. S. Monnot: -2- 5-29-12
But, as it has not yet been put into
oommeroial practice, it can as well remain in abeyanoe
for awhile until he has been able to bring his active
interests to that point at which he cun leave them and
give his attention to the completion of the poured
oonorete house.
Mr. Edison would be very sorry indeed
to learn that investors in Europe had sunk money in
an enterprise founded upon patents, whioh in the first
place, were wrongfully obtained by persons not entitled
to them.
Yours very truly,
for Negro occupants, and wish you would kindly Inform me whether you
have any moulds suitable for the purpose, which you rent. If you have
such moulds, w.ill you advise me as to the rental value. Also forward to
me a diagram of the floor plans and exterior views.
The dimensions of the building should be about 15 to 17 feet
in width, and about 22 to 28 feet in depth and one story in height, con¬
sisting of living room, sleeping room, and kitchen. No improvements,
excepting running water and sink. The house should have a front and
a small rear porch and cement roof. There should be air space of 1 foot
to 1 foot 6 inches between roof and ceilingl and open grate in front room
Also give information regarding a double house with three
rooms on each side, with approximate cost for both classes of houses.
This class of houses is wholly unknown in this section, and
it appears to me that if the houses are desireable, that they will be
more sanitary and less destructive than the houses now occupied by that
class of tenants. ,
r
liiiuiirt ©ffia,
$)tti h.
iiSe51*"' 24th July, 1912. 189
QLP
OTe.
I beg to attach hereto a letter which I
addressed to you on the 29th February last, but which has
returned to me marked ".defused by Addressee".
It would appear that the stamps which were
placed on the envelope prior to the despatch of the
communication from this Office, were stolen in transit,
and I am no w causing enquiries to be made with regard to
this unsatisfactory business.
I think it well, however, to re-forward my
letter and accompanying enclosure to you , and in doing
so may add that the administration of the "Workers' Homes
Act" of 1911, is now in full swing, and from all appearances
will prove of great benefit to the community.
Any further information which you may care to
submit with regard to the class of house which you have
had under consideration, will be greatly appreciated.
P.3. Since writing the attached letter I have received your promised
corrmuni cation and given due publicity to the information
. forwarded.
\
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
gtentier’a ©ffx«,
Pjerlli.
29th February, 1912.
Sear Sir—
I have the honour to confirm my cable to you
of the 25rd inst. , reading
“ Western Australian Government giving
attention to erection Workers' Homes on
extensive scale. Professor Hills when here
mentioned your proposals regarding
economical construction Will you supnly defin¬
ite information respecting same and can we
utilise for such purposes Host of reply will
be defrayed by this Government. "
and to acknowledge receipt of your reply yesterday
" Will mail information. “
Under separate cover I am sending you a
copy of the Workers’ Homes Act which was passed in
’parliament of this State during last Session, even a
cursory perusal of which will, I think, shew you what
is proposed to be done.
V/hen Professor Mills was here a short time
ago he mentioned that you had a plan for the economical
construction of buildings, and, with a desire of
obtaining information first-hand from you, I cabled
at the first possible date, and am thus looking forward
with interest to the receipt of your letter, which I
trust will be of such a nature to enable us to come
/to ,
|
j Thomas Alva Edison, Esq. ,
| East Orange ,
I iiew Jersey,
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
VOodl and, California, July 30, 1912. mfADOW CROFT.
Thos A. Edison, MEAU'Jvv ^
Orange H.J. .
Doar Sirj- I wi very anxioB to find out the full particulars as
to the way your cement houses are built. 1 understand of course
that you hare the construction patented but I want to know what they
are like . I have been told that they have been constructed in
Ifllwaukee and that you gave the Socialist Government of that
oitythe privelege of using your patent. Is there no chance to get u
m* your houses here.I have always had my heart set on a Cement
House, and I wish you would let me know about your houses and if
I oould build one.
i > Vex# Truly,
UJP/P
if ^
'l’hocaa A. Edison, Esq.
Orange, II. J.
Honored and Honorable 3ir;-
Tliree or four years ago. you were kind enough to v;rite me an. exceed¬
ingly courteous letter regarding the popularization of "Concrete" under •.
the influences of ir.y dear Father, —
Mr . Franklin \7. Smith, --
of the Villa Sorayua,
St. Augustine, Fla.
Tho letter was forwarded to my aged Mother abroad, and in her
travelling from place "° place, — it was lost.
My Father passed -away last Autumn.
My purpose in now writing is, — to ash if (at your own convenience)
you could send me a duplicate of that letter, for permanent preservation.
It occurs to me that a copy can be found in your files -- hy an as¬
sistant, with practically no trouble to you.
The exact date is wholly forgotten, except — it was about the time
of the "Concrete Exhibition" in the Madison Square Garden, where you had
a fine exhibition of your own concrete houses. Under the initial "3" in
your files of that date, perhaps the copy can he found, ar.d easily "copied.”
Otherwise, a paraphrase of the thoughts therein, covering your
visit to our concrete villa, and tho pioneer work of my Father, leading
the way to the present tremendous industry, woul^f he a frrtfasured faj
Yours i
THE
MOTOR® WORLD
THE MOTOR WORLD PUBLISHING CO. c...«
roico«,\o"V"K5 NEW YORK October 18th, 1912.
Thomas A. Edison, Inc., MEADOW CROFT
Orangem H.J.
Dear Sir:
Will you be kind enough to inform me where I can obtain
data regarding Edison forms used in the construction of concrete
houses. I am particularly desirous of finding out whether or
not such forms ever have been applied to the construction of
small, cheap concrete garages and if so where a description
of them can be obtained.
Thanking you in advance for the favor of . an early reply.
Yours truly,
C (°.tni<ze.'i-iiA.,,^ Mfitftn,*
a-ttaf 'T/iC -tittASett /ii v /-a n>t>l-/l-. ,<*
/fe ^ove*nn>tjHJ>f— a JrU^e <n< a £5*,
/•’* 4*eii <yfwy, At cxAiAn /i^tru s n „ «t ;,
>$^4'7**** <*/* <PP/K<-S>itf — (Z<-
ffl&utfef ( /u'e/jjp'Ht iti <p 0 1< 4
/^'V- Ay A, «£ l.rAte V^
•' IVZt^r y>-ui
C<f,ivnvuMe<L'1T> -w t-//T /l.,, „ >ty Af( /Li-,
Strutt /Let t-, >n a tC<L J*. taumfic.s
/ *w ruAtttue , , ia i^tCr'At *u-
a-S-fr Si 'A'/it't(y •’■Y~
• tit} - 'X mr-tc-i
»tt>/ jAtt,
i-y Strode .
v,..«-
"■/T
^ vfti
■Lg'/tf- S*e
#**
^ AND PAC,F,C Te*^ e
PETER J. HUGHES
My dear Mr. Edison: -
kO°N
\ (j^^'Noveraber lS^*
1-
cc
' ^
V*"
We are building a large Terrainal\ belovAhe ^
Horse Shoe at Philadelphia, and our Consulting Engineer has informed
i of at least 100,000. I Take
that we must provide for a populatioi
house, or 20,000 houses. With whom may I deal
of 20,000 Edison Concrete houses?
the cost— 1,000 of them to be of a
this to mean five to
to arrange for the constructii
Sive roe some general idea as
superior class; the others for the ordinary workman.
A3 we purpose to make our piers of concrete, we will also ask
for prices on that work.
Very truly yours,
" Prflstdent.
CHARLES F. HALL
CONTRACTOR
19 AJt MILK STREET
BOSTON, MASS.,.D«6.
Mr. Thomas A. Ji^ison, ^
Menlo Park, . "
Orange , Hew Jdrsay.
Dear Sir,- ^ ^ ^ Ba1;hod 0f steel forms for uuiiding a series ,
small concrete houses.
11 deeply interested :
C such houses here
a tnis method, anu would like to ouila a
series of such houses here m the boston suburbs, ana I Delieve I can
bring such an enterprise to a successful issue, also
fire-proof and water-proof house an a cost of aoouu one-naif tn y
nave to pay for one in wood, concrete or concrete oiocas.
I nave been interested in this method since leaning a clipping oy
you, in 19U7, out could not convince myselx they could oe maue
proof , -U * -ooro ~il« *8" I ‘ r”- “* J- ^ ' ' '
z zzs *-
Will you kindly inrorm
metnoa ana any information <
to furnish.
ne the. cost tor privilege ofl using your
a this matter that it may be your pleasure
Tnanuiug you in advance, I oeg to remain,
Yours very truly.
Doooaber 19, 1912
Mr. Martin Laeraoea,
Boulevard Ever toon, Ho. 12,
Yliss ingen, Holland.
Dear Sir:-
In viov/ of tho request oontainod in your letter
to Mr. Dyer of September 16, 1912, Hr. Edison has sent a
letter to the Minister of Agrioulturo, Conimeroe and Industry,
offering and granting the Government of Holland permission
to use his invention relating to the easting of oomont houses
for oertain purposes. A oopy of this lotter is onolosod
horewith.
The references to the following publication may
bo of interest to you in oonneotion with the use of olay
in o on o rote mixtures
Sabin on "Cement and Concrete" , London, 1906.
Seo art. 49, "Effeot of Clay on Comont, Mortar and Con¬
crete", beginning on page 253, also paragraph 436, "Clay
in Concrete", beginning on page 305.
. Very truly yours,
Hl-JS
General Counsel
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
FROM THS LABORATORY
OF
THOMAS A. BDISOH
December 19, 1912
To His Exoellenoy The Minister,
Landbouw, Handel and Industrie,
The Hague, Hollsnd.
air:
In By letter to you of Unroll 9, 1912, written at the
request of Mr. Martin Laernoos of Vlioeingen, Holland, I oommuni-
oated to your Government certain information rolating to the oon-
crete mixture, which, after much experimenting , I had found satis¬
factory ana suooesBful for the purpose of pouring oonoreto and
oomont houses.
I have also furnished Mr. Laernoos oopios of the follow¬
ing of my United States patent applications to bo used in taking
out patontB for my invention in Holland or in opposing the grant
of patents in Holland to others for the same invontion:-
A copy of the specification and drawings in ray applica¬
tion on Cement Buildings and Processes of Constructing Same, as
filed in tho United Statos Patont Offloo August 13, 1906.
A oopy of the specification and drawings in my applica¬
tion on Molds for Conoreto Construction, as filed in tho United
Statos Patont Office Deoembor 29, 1906.
At the further request of Mr. Laernoos, I hereby offer
and grant permission to your Government to employ the invention
disolosod in my said letter of Ilaroh 9, 1912 and in my heroin-
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
before mentioned applications, in the oastine of houses for work¬
ing people ana for the poor in Holland, to make uuoh alterations
in my said invention as may be necessary to adapt it to the re¬
quirements of the oountry and climate, ana to use the information
horotoforo furnished your Government ana Hr. Laernoes in prevent¬
ing others from making a monopoly of my said invention, ana I
furthermore authorise your Government to permit othor persons
and societies to use my said invention for the purposes herein¬
before stated, subject to ouch restrictions and conditions as
your Government nay see fit to impose.
Very respectfully.
(Signoa) 'f ho s . A. Edison
Edison General File Series
1912. Charities and Loans (E-12-26)
This folder contains unsolicited correspondence and other documents
concerning Edison's charitable contributions, financial assistance, and
donations of equipment. In addition to letters relating to Edison's donations
to organizations such as the Young Men's Christian Association of the
Oranges, the selected items include fund-raising appeals made on behalf
Sarah Farmer, the daughter of electrical pioneer Moses G. Farmer. Also
included is a letter from Andrew Phillips of Michigan, who worked with Edison
as an itinerant telegrapher in Memphis.
Less than 1 percent of the documents have been selected. The
unselected letters consist primarily of requests for money. Many bear Edison's
notation, "no ans."
. • . . <=}
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pf
H. EUGENE SAWYER, Jr.,
444 Fayerwkathkr Ham.,
Nkw Haven, Conn.
V,rrC— G-U igi2
- ^Vv. c\
T?_ u • J
On March 2nd, the Hotchkiss Class of 1909 had their triennial reunion at the School.
One of the Members suggested that the Class found a scholarship as a token of
its affection for the School. In order to do this it will be necessary to collect the sum
of five thousand dollars ( $5,000 ), the annual interest on which will be sufficient to pay for
some fellow’s tuition at college.
The plan for selecting the student to whom the scholarship shall be given is as
The faculty shall first make out a list of students who have been working their
way through school and whom they consider most worthy. This list shall then be submitted
to the student body to vote upon. The student receiving the largest number of votes shall be
awarded the scholarship. I11 this way the question of which college a fellow expects to attend
will not enter into the matter at all.
The suggestion seemed to be very favorably received, both by the Hotchkiss faculty
and by the Members of the 1909 Class who were present.
While the matter is one which concerns the Class, it has been felt that parents who
had sons in that Class would also be interested in the idea and wish to help toward getting
the five thousand dollars ( $5,000 ). With a view of determining the probable success of this
undertaking, before asking for final contributions, I would very much appreciate an indication
from you on enclosed blank, of your feelings regarding the matter.
This is the first thing of its kind which has been attempted by a Hotchkiss Class,
and its success rests entirely upon the support which the Members of the 1909 Class give it.
Trusting that you will see your way clear toward helping out in this worthy
cause, I am,
Yours sincerely,
4f' J-*
Secretary, Hotchkiss Class 1909.
Checks should be made payable to :
Thomas L. Norton,
Treasurer of Hotchkiss School.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
H. EUGENE SAWYER, Jr.,
444 Fayerweather Hale,
Yale College, New Haven, Conn.
. 191 .
Provided that the entire amount of $5,000 for igog Class Scholarship Fund is
subscribed for, I will contribute to said fund . dollars,
on or before . igi2.
Signature .
Address. .
Remarks . . .
^JeATI
ATTLE CONVENTION— JUNE 10-13, 1912
NATIONAL ELECTRIC LIGHT ASSOCIATION
and largely in the oauaa of Universal Peaoe. Several friendn have tahen
the matter in hand and it is proposed not only to seoure direot oontributions
probably to hold a subscription oonoert, the proceedings of vrhioh will
be devoted to the same fuhd. Hro. Mead oan give you details of the whole
situation.
Believe me,
Yours truly,
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
39 Newbury Street, 3oston, Hues, ,
March 21, 1912.
My dear Sir:
You may recall meeting Mr. Mead and mo a moment at the banquet
given to us by Count Apponyi and the Interparliamentary Union at the Hungarian
hotel at Budapest last September.
I venture to address you to enlist your interest in a project of
Mr. Edwin Ginn the publisher, of Boston. Ho haB for months most generously
been providing all the expenses of Kiss Sarah .T. Fanner of Eliot. Maine, who
is the only child of Professor Kosos G. Farmer, the eminent electrician. She
has been a great Invalid, but though now much bettor, must continue to havo an
attendant indefinitely. She is sixty-five years old, and though she has a home
she has no income. Mr. Ginn feels that for herself, attendant, doctor's bills,
etc. she should have anaanuity of ."■1800, of which he pledges '600 if the other
'1200 is raised, and he consents to be trustee of the whole fund. Mr. Carnegie
promises $250, Mr. Charles Coffin $100, and another friend^/BO.
As Miss Farmer's near friends have small means, the $^00 now
remaining to bo raised we hope may be provided by those who nan more easily
contribute and who would like to pay a tribute to Professor Farmor's service
to the world by making comfortable Ma4 daughter's remaining years. She has
boon a remarkable noman, Tcculiurly lovablo and generous, and had she been
less benevolent she would net he in er presor.t situation.
I have been her friend from girlhood, and am. also Mr. Sir.n'B
s authority. I shall be especially grateful for any-
to contribute for this annuity to the daughter of
pioneer in the field of science
friend, and write under h
thing that you may see fi
one whom you must have known and honored a
in which you have -won such renown.
Very respectfully.
y). THAYER BROWN,
YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION
OF THE ORANGES
419 MAIN STREET, ORANGE, N. J.
West Orange,
Dear Sir:-
paid the rental of the rooms at Oakwood Avenue and Earrow Street
occupied hy the Colored Branoh of the Y.M.C.A., and in addition
have paid half of the Secretary's salary, the total of the two
items amounting to §720.00. In former years this has been se¬
cured in part by direct subscriptions from friends of the work.
We have not yet received the renewal of your subscription of
§20.00. May we not count on you for this before May the 10th on
which date our books will bo closed. I cannot too strongly em¬
phasize our appreciation of your help in past years. We feel
that this work amply deserves continued support.
Yours very truly
, Dodd, Treasurer.
Young Men's Christian Association
OF THE ORANGES
419 MAIN STREET, ORANGE, N. J.
Muy 3rd, 1913.
Ur. Thos. A. Edison,
West Orange, N. J.
Bear Sir:-
On behalf of the Association we beg to acknowledge
your contribution toward the current expenses and to assure you
that this expression of your interest and co-opex-ation in oxir work
is heartily appreciated.
Enclosed herewith Treasurer's Receipt.
j Very sincerely yours, '
— 7r,
, , General Secretary.
llecciueit from fLluumts A- lEiiismt
er-Z'
§>otmg jfflen’s Cfjrfetinn ^association of tfje Granges
410 MAIN ST., ORANGE, NEW JERSEY
m 39.15
1 9 1
.
Cfctsi*£ (AT~&
The Directors take pleasure in acknowledging the receipt of your
contribution of . ffl-ijj? . .^TT^r. . Dollars,
toward the current
U.o.K°
19 12
Mr. T. A. Edison,
Llewellyn Park,
Y7. Orange, N. J.
Your kind offer to furnish a oar on
Orphans' Day iB accepted with thanks and
if you will have same in front of the
Newark Motor Club, 845 Broad St., Newark, H.J.
opposite the Central Railroad at 12:30 P. M.
on Thursday, the 20th., Inst., we will en¬
deavor to give these little ones the time 6f
their lives and we know you will receive the
proper reward for your generosity.
Verjr truly yours,
PACKARD MOTOR CAR CO OP N. Y. J
CLF/dC " LOCAL M
W. S. Jfunnel/y,
fttalel in §)nin'inf. PUleklmndiii
A"».L, . ,1 Jl ,Hrt >hr,m /U««L
CLjalu fuu,L „J Jfui jLive $U.
OW CROFT
Hr Thomas A.Edis<
Orange N
;«/“• rfor-y
C£v~e;.
.C3>ts
Vernon , Ten,
v, —
.j.O^jCC- CvjXfciT
and tha"C"japi
_ . _•
letter from a farmer. In Tennessee, i5ho had the plcasu'. . _
W at his home, ( Vernon Tenn#'*^ '2- <U
inroad
^ of meeting
time wo intended asJcij
_ _ (LerL^-eJ U~i
supjlus_ money , in hnildi BfMjp’-nTij
Y/liilc hero, I mentioned
Capitalist, to use some of hi'
Industrial school here,
a:: well as numbers ^of strong healthy youngsters
in ignorance.
I
•Vvt-cytt.4,
;«o
his swwplus money, in. hnild:; i J J
Jti. ^ft^jRivss^si^ar
of the Multi
VJ
ercst some of the Mu' _ — tt—
jfcxT TTave Ai^sadyftfith yoi^'gool^ work)^ jrx^,*c&*mSvc ' *
cuts, than anyynjj living^ or dead,^t!jo
~ <^-c5
rs .of strong healthy youngs ters^who are growing i
(Av£,> T
You t ’ ■ ought might
h ive never asked anv^o^ tin
While I k
indestructible monumen'
might possibly hecomW^n^r <Sf$bd
I liave compara^Aly hu£^|ij^ he ylacl to^conh^
suitable .-rrounds, (ahmxt ^OQ aeries worth $5000.“ ' " '
can ho induced to erre!
would add as much
he known in it, hut woulVl iiavev
in a measure, of aiding
paterened after some of our WJsft^Tr
service than all of Mr Carnigics Lihrar:
I hope you remember my place, and
S. ^Mannellij,
©i' flirt ivi fiiiirtal ^nirti'lifuiflik.
yl'umuL, ami afl iilfirl JNudiicL.
Clnijo'm @M.I* ami «IU live $U,
The land X have selected is about one mile From Rail Road Station, and in
my opinion is an ideal location.
A small portion of your income from Mooving picture sIiowb, would soon
build a very creditable school, and would develop some of our crude material,
into men and women.
l ideal place for cefct, every thin?.
-ou occupied while here, ( built Since (
would be delighted to offer you
our best, for few or many days, and let you consider my proposition after
seeing the site -and seroundings.
Pardon me for suggesting, this is
quiet, there is bath attached to room.
If such seroundings would suit you, 1
X refer you to J.B. Walker CahSier First National Ranh and A. II. Grigsby
presdt. Ditizcns Nat. Bank both Of Centerville Tcnn. also Ex. Gov. Benton
Hcnillin, Nashville, 1’cnn.
Blease let me hear from y<
YOUNG MEN’S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION
OF THE ORANGES
THAYER B
Nl STREET, ORANGE. N. .
June 26th, 19l!
ft
*yc ft >
V > ( J> f
^ & ft
L
Mr. Thomas A. Edison,
Llewellyn Park, V/. 0.
Dear Sir:-
Recently we closed our fiscal year with what our j
Directors believe to be a good record of work accomplished and [
fortunately with all bills paid. The budget adopted for the
coming year anticipates about the usual amount of receipts from
membership fees and dormitory rentals and estimates that $ 10,380
will be needed in subscriptions from sustaining members and friends.
Our Finance Committee is very desirous that you will continue
your subscription of $100.00. We are always in special need of
cash at the opening of the year. If you can. conveniently send
a check at thiB time your kindness will be very much appreciated.
Yours very truly, ,
' General Secretary.
2 ^ _ / 7 / i
■7 . .jf j tf-Ca-1 djMtc}
Thcl'Hll-l'. Edisou.Ga.
Mr. Thomas A. Edison,
Orange, N.J.
Bear Sir:-
Sept 26 1912
I
It has recently teen brought to our attention that
some time during last year or possibly the first of this year,
you donated the stun of $100.00 to the fire department of our
town, and that this stun was forwarded in a check or draft to
the Ohief of our fire department.
If thiB be true, and we have good cause to think it
is true, we will be glad if you will give us some information
in regard to this matter. If you forwarded the contribution
in the shape of your personal oheok, we trust you can send
the cancelled item to us for our inspection. If sent otherwise ,
we will appreciate the facts and information as to how the
sum was forwarded. Thanking you in udvance for the information,
copy, but 30 far we have received no response.
The rauyor of our town has nudo many inquiries of
us in regard to this matter and has earnestly requested that
we write to you again, in tho desire to bring same to some
conclusion.
y/e have no desire to trouble you and it may be that
you will not want to forward us tho items which we requested
you to do. We would .howovor .lilro to have a further reply from
you, especially in view of your very courteous response to
our first requost for infprmation.
Yours very truly,
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
Mr . H . P . Hiller . 3a oy . ,
Hon.ThOQUQ A. Edison ,
Orungo.il. J.
Dear Slr:-
He have your favor of the SOth.ultimo, stating that
Mr.Ediaon Boat to tho Edison Goorgiu Piro Dopartmont on Juno
13th. 1911 at the soliodtation of Chaa. E. Hennessey hie check
for $100.00. You also give us the endorsements on tho chook
and stato you hold a receipt from Mr.Honnossey.
V.'e will not even dignify this transaction hy saying
it is graft .which is too soft a word. Mr .Hennessey is Chief
of the Piro Department of our little tov/n by virtue o_ Jg®
experience in this class of work. not hy virtu* Of ^^oS&racter
known to the people hore. Ho mo credits and one
trusts him. (The town council is deeply grateful lor the
good intentions of Mr. Edison and his generosity in
this che ok to the Edison Georgia Eire Department. not any less
bo bocanse no' one over knew about the aattor^or the town se-
oured any benefit from it.
iioroo two weeks ago, a representative of the Pubric .
Pire Hose Go. Atlanta.Gu. Btated to the Mayor and Council in
session that you had sent a chock to our fire department that
Ur.HonneoBoy ondoroed sane and forwarded it to a olerk in thoir
office, who aooured tho oaah thoroon from an Atlanta bunk and
sent the proceeds t.o Ur.Honnossey. It was acting _on -his inti¬
mation thut wo wroto you at tho solicitation of -ho -own olerk
to find out if the charge had any baBis in faot.
He .are confident you want justice done in this mutter
and we ask that you send to uc the first solicitation of Chas.
E.Honnouaoy asking for the donation, tho oanoolled chock
endorsed by him and also the roooipt Mr.Honneosoy sent you.
V/o dialiko to trouhlo you but this is uforra of orookodnoBo
which should be punished and wo ask your co-operation to the
eztont of forwarding the items mentioned.
He will send you our reoelpt for the papers and will
return then to you Just as soon us we oun. Of ooursothepupers
will first ha vo to go into ooiirt and we might want to hold them
indefinitely.
Yours very truly.
Cashier.
CHAS. E. HENNESSY
Practical T ailor ^ ^ p, \j 0''fc
IIOMK HUILT CLOTH KS
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Practical Tailor
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Practical Tailor
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Hr. Ches. K. Hannesay,
I’, die on, Ga.
Dear Sir:
I acknowledge with than
the 11th inst., enclosing $.20.00
you will forward the balance as
Hov. 23, 1912.
cs receipt of yoxir favor of
in cash, and I note that
soon as it can be withdrawn.
Yours very truly,
Edison General File Series
1912. Christmas and New Year Greetings [not selected] (E-12-27)
This folder contains Christmas and New Year greetings from Edison's
family, friends, and business associates, along with unsolicited corres¬
pondence from the general public.
Edison General File Series
1912. Cigarettes (E-12-28)
This folder contains correspondence and other documents pertaining to
the harmful effects of tobacco and cigarettes. The two selected items bear
Edison's reply in the form of marginalia.
The unselected material consists of a few anti-cigarette pamphlets.
/?js>
<?iU
l ?Sl. &<z&4&3su ■ CJ>W
AL,*£asL'/$sr>' ^
A/ s'l'yi- cTi-t^i/
tffo
trjytJ
fi/U^fur-ris y/^ZtevzC
c^ t £&ix ^/urf
t/trt^k • ^c$rT'*/X>
n Qctpaas
tfsp’t/H-tr&L
r
u- }4°-^
Nov. 15, 1912 7 <y>
lu*
Thos. A. Edison,
West Orange, .
New jersey.
Dear Sir;
lj «.
lk~~jGF t
h
A-
trkCity
fo^u.^Ka-O^
Through the medium of one of the New YorJ?“"city dailies,
I learn that you are prominent and active in the anti -smoking
agitation. Tobacco smoking is quite often called a "habit" which
term is misleading, to say the least, but if a habit, it is,
like liquor drinking, a habit born of a craving insatiate and
deep-seat ed.
I am pleased to see that a most necessary step in thus
being taken in defense of the public health, and hoOe it will soon
attain the proportions of a solossal movement, country-wide, yea,
v/orld-wide, but am sorry to note what I believe to be wrong
methods, policy, direction and course.
To link the tobacco smoking question up with the anti -
liquor one that has become chronic, through the employment of
puritanic, erratic measBres, for the past fifty yearB that I know
of, will be to hinder it, I feel sure.
What we want to do right at the start of this most
crying need is to treat anti-tobacco smoking on the basis of a
hygienic movement solely, and ignore entirely morals, social
status, religion and all else in this connection.
The anti-liquor people, God bless them, have been
banging away at their subject in all, the ways but the right one
for between fifty and sixty years, ; and there is at present more
liquor made and -consumed per capita than ever and increasing
all the time — - — and this, I think, is the test of whether
they have failed or succeeded.
I don't cite this in order to say. anything derogatory
to the anti-liquor movement; far from it; but just to safeguard
the possible anti-tobacco (hot ni cotine fumes) movement from
committing the same egregious errors along the same lines.
The trouble with the anti-liquor people was that they
always worked through the legislatures, etc. to compel, by Btatute,
honesty, morals, appetite and all else. These cannot be compelled
by statute. What we want to do in the latter of tobacco iB to
inform and educute humanity as to the exact deleterious effects
of tobacco smoking (hot nibotine fumes - masticating it is another
and less important phase of the subject) on the human system, and
having shown this convincingly-- — beyond the peradventure of a
doubt - it then becomes a matter' of individual responsibility,
and the result is sure if slow. No one, practically, but will
protect his health if he knows how. Nearly all the advice at present
. Anrori through what mifiht be deemed the moat authoritative
health^^even ^ough^na^mign^ „otion and plBU8lM1jty> and
not actually worth the paper it is printed on,
VJhen a proper knowledge is obtained by the masses of the
effects on the human system of. hot nicotine fumes, it will, no _
doubt, be most damaging to a great (tobacco) manufacturing industry,
Vint- it i a at a terrible sacrifice of human life at present and
for “long while-past that that industry has. bee: n maintained When
the proper data is gleaned, government must Mtean exhaustive
renort with the appalling disclosures, the life insurance
companies must act accordingly, the medical fraternity must yield-
compliance, the big Metropolitan dailiest must expose their hand,
and*1 the game is practically won. But ™sort to the
worn-out, puritanical methods of the Prohibitionists.
As to the exact effectB of hot nttcotine fumes - atrocities
of Empress Nicotiana— I have investigated somewhat myself and
have a good deal more than I can find room for here.
However I find that at the different tuberculosis
isolation hospitals in and around New York C^y,*|nd1 n8^yand
Jersey all the subjects are, almost to an individual, men and
those men all smokers. However, the doctors and the newspapers
are guarding this information against disclosure most zealously.
j can show how hot nicotine fumes, constantly wafted through
nasal passages and alimentary channels, inflaming membranes,-,
produces abnormal heat, spreads the pupils of eyes, impairs
sight, renders hearing defective, induces baldness and causes
insanity. There is rarely a case of female paresis;. they are all
men and' all tobacco smokers. The baldheads are all men; rarely
a woman'.
Epilepsy and apoplexy can all be traced to hot nicotine
sources - affecting the brain.
All those so-called "plauges '» , scourges , etc. can be
traced to smoking by man; rarely a woman. It is safe to say that
every leper is a smoker, if not of tobacco then opium; a woman
leper is rare, and it is probable you'll find her a smoker of
some kind at that. Investigate this for yourself.
This is not all that smoking is doing. There is a possibility
that a pre-natal- effect could be shown. When all is shown that
can be, and a Government report is brought about, about 25 to
50 per cent of medical practice and business for the doctors
will be curtailed: is it any v/onder then that they want to keep
if auitet if the medical fraternity IS intelligent- in the matter?
It is stated that "5 per cent of the physicians are purely of
an obstetric persuasion, and intelligent professionally to that
extent only. So any initiative is very unlikely from that source.
There have been liberators and emnncipatorB all the way
from Moses down (or up) tc Lincoln, but a greater than either ^
of them is yet. to come, and it will be he who convincingly inform
humanity of the exact effect and symptoms of tobacco smoking
on the membranes (the seat probably of all disease) of the human
-3-
system, inflaming them, creating abnormal temperature, inhering
susceptibility and diminishing constitutional resistance with
dire consequences.
Certainly what I am stating ought to be obviouB to the
most casual observer. If started right now any movement toward
amelioration is late — years, centuries late — but it's never too
late, etc.
There is too much to be said about tobacco and its results
to be covered within the limitB of a letter of this size. There'B
a lot of humbuggery being employed at present safeguarding (J)
the public health, especially along tuberculosis lines, prevention
of tuberculosis, etc. is of little avail while hot nitotine
flumes - Queen Hicotiana - prevail, dominate.
As to the initial steps, it might be that a booklet, for
the masses, compact and comprehensive, would pave the way to
desired ends. But who is the modern Moses to lead humanity out
of this hot nicotine fume wilderness of ignorance and slavery,
disease and death? He must be honest and fearless and objective; —
not subjective. A small financial backing must be had to procure
data.
In the sincere hope that my appeal herewith for the
common good will not be in fain, I am
Edison General File Series
1912. Clubs and Societies (E-12-29)
This folder contains correspondence and other documents relating to
Edison's membership in, and activities on behalf of, social clubs, professional
societies, political groups, and civic organizations. There are also appeals
from charitable organizations and a few letters concerning the purchase of
professional and other publications for Edison. Among the documents for
1 91 2 are solicitations and other correspondence pertaining to the Deutsches
Museum, the Luther Burbank Society, the New Jersey Chamber of
Commerce, and the Technology Club of New York. The correspondents
include longtime Edison associate Thomas Commerford Martin and George
W. Kittredge, chief engineer of the New York Central & Hudson River Railroad
Co.
Less than 10 percent of the documents have been selected. The
following categories of documents have not been selected: requests for
Edison's autograph or signature, including its reproduction; form letters and
other routine correspondence regarding meetings and activities; invitations .
and other requests that Edison either declined or did not acknowledge;
invitations for which no substantive response has been found;
correspondence from organizations in which Edison was not involved;
published proceedings and printed circulars; and duplicates.
My dear Mr. Edison:- v
V/lth reference onoe more to the Technology
Club Dinner to he held at the Knickerbocker Hotel on Saturday
evening, January 13th:
If you will let me know at what time you will
arrive in Mew York, and at what ferry, I shall be glad to arrange
to have s taxi meet you at the ferry, or I shall be glad to meet
you at the Knickerbocker Hotel at any hour that you may designate.
If you will have your Secretary drop me a note
as to just what your pleasure is in this matter, I shall be very
gl&a to make arrangments accordingly.
Yours very truly.
Mr. Thomas A. Edison,
Orange, H. J.
GUr
Ky dear Ur. Edison:
I want to thank you very much for the pleasure y°u
gave us all in coming to the Technology Banquet at the Kniekerbocke:
Hotel last Saturday, the 13th instant.
I regret very much that you could not have heard Mr.
Gilbert Burgess's remarks in regard to you and some of your former
inventions, and I am trying to get a stenographic copy of them in
order that you may read them.
Your presence was the crowning event of the evening,
and I have heard on all sides expressions of great gratification
that you honored us with your visit.
Again thanking you, I am.
Yours very truly.
Mr. Thomas Edison,
Orange, H. J.
\ /
National (Dommtttw
(DfUbration of tbe One Mmt6rri>fl> anniversary of tyeacc
among £ttgli0l)
m§'i$
copied
v^\ L"
Hon. Thomas A. Edison,
West Orange,
How Jersey.
Ky dear Mr. Edison:-
Sometime ago I had the honor to invite
yon to become a member of this Committee v/hioh is being
organised to celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of the
signing of the Treaty of Ghent. As no response has been
received from you I assume that the Committee's communi¬
cation was either lost or unconsciously overlooked. Won't
you permit me again to bring the matter to your attention?
The enclosed pamphlet will enlighten you
as to our objects and plans in vi ew.
Your acceptance imposes no obligation
upon you excepting that which you may voluntarily devote to
our cause, and there are, moreover, no dues or charges of any
kind other than those voluntarily contributed.
Y/on't you have the good nature to reply
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
One Hundredth
Anniversary of Peace
among
English Speaking Peoples
1814-1914
A General Prospectus of the Plan and
Purpose of the National Committee
for Its Celebration
American Breeders' association— Eugenics section
EUGENICS RECORD OFFICE
W A rs
ja '
V
v
Mr. Thomas A. Sdison,
March 28, 1912.
Orange, New Jersey. j\ v*t ^
* dear Sir!- ^ ■'1/''* r
Some months ago I sent you copies of our recoPds j.~/|
of family traits. Your secretary, Mr. Miller, replied that f
you were interested and that you might sons time find time [
to fill out the records.
He have just devised another system for recording
traits, and I beg to inquire whether you will give me an in¬
terview some time within the next two or three weeks. I can
secure the essential facts in less than one hour's time, "'e
want to know how the factors contributing to the inventive .
instinct behave in heredity. The data secured from this in¬
terview will not be used in newspaper articles, but we shall
want to use it in our bulletins and reports .on heredity.
Ye shall very much appreciate your cooperation.
Very truly.
. April lot, 19X2.
Fv Dear Mr. Edison:
X thought it might interest you to
have your attention called to the recent Bulletin of
the Alliance Franpaise, in which your election to mem¬
bership is referred to.
Yours very truly,
TO
Thomas A. Edison, Esq.,
Orange, If. J.
/> lEV/ YORK
A K
? Vi ^ y -(K,
i^r '•' „,/^ ,v **/ A* ,
. /vVA'"AprVl^5,v"l91
My daar Friend: ’ * ^V0" ^ lU 0^ ^
The joint annual dinner of The Associ¬
ated Press and the American newspaper Publishers’
Association will take place on the evening of
April 26th at the Waldorf-Astoria. Speaking for
myself and also for the committee of arrangements,
we are most anxious that you should he present as
the chief guest of honor. I know perfectly well
your dislike for publio speaking, and if you de¬
sire it you will not be asked to say a word.
There will be present seven hundred editors of the
leading newspapers of the country, and we are
anxious to pay you a well-deserved tribute. Some
of us feel that an ounoo of epitaph while a man is ;
living is worth a good many pounds after he is dead.
I mailed you a formal invitation some
days ago, and this is only a word to emphasiz
it. I should be greatly gratified at your ac
ceptanoe.
With all good wishes, 1 am.
Sincerely yours.
Thomas A. Edison, Esq.,
Llewellyn Park, Orange, N. J.
f4^x^e. a.if' /^/i.
^&vi*.ucc£- (hva-ccge.
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THE NEW YORK ASSOCIATION FOR THE BLIND
(INCORPORATED)
May 21, 1912
Dear ?fr. Edison:
On behalf of my wards and the Association, please accept most hearty
thanks for vour welcome gift of a beautiful new phonograph. The first person
to use it was an intelligent man who was suddenly blinded five years ago, and
who, through the Association, is rapidly becoming again a practical business
nan. He writes gleefully about your new machine:
"I wish I could faintly express, and that you could partially realize, ..
deop Bense of gratitude I personally feel for the timely and^genorous gift,
have but poorly expressed my thanko, but trust you will ““
sightless grateful man whose gloom has b
the new path which haB been cut for him
intent of a
. lessened and who fancies he sees
take the place of the old one which
X shall persist in the hope that we may yet have the pleasure of welcoming
to this Lighthouse, and showing you our efforts to find light through work
the blind who have been so greatly asoisted by your generosity.
Thomas A. Edison, Esq.
Llewellyn Park, Orange, N.J.
"39* "
NATIONAL HIGHWAYS PROTECTIVE SOCIETY
46 EAST TWENTY- NINTH STREET
NEW YORK CITY May 25 th, 1912.
meadow, croft.
Thomas A. Edison, Esqre, ^
East Orange, N. J. ^
As you have been a- generous contributor^to the
National Highways Protective Society which is riow in
the fourth year of its existence, you will he ^in¬
terested in the enclosed report of the increased scope
of the Society's wort, which includes Playgrounds;
Children's Farm Garden; Railroad Grade Crossing Elim¬
ination; the doing away with Obnoxious Signs and Ad¬
vertisements on the highways, etc. All the above in
addition to its safe-guarding the highway, means more
wort and expense.
If you would assist us by interesting your friends
so that they will become members, it will be appreciated.
Yours very truly,
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
JUN 4 - 1917
^ !U-<l4- Ah
<ma
- subAnce Company
/
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(fl' -
FIFTH INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS
/ CHAMBERS gf COMMERCE
To be held in Boston, Massachusetts, September 24 to 28, 1912
t June 13, 1912.
Mr. Thomas A. Edison,
East Orange, K. J.
Dear Sir:
On behalf of the Executive Committee on
arrangements for the forthcoming International Con¬
gress of Chambers of Commerce, it is my privilege
and pleasure to invite you to allow the use of
your name as one of the American Honorary Committee.
There will be no duties whatever devolve upon you.
I take pleasure in enclosing an advance
proof of a list of the American Honorary Committee
up to date, and we are continually adding to it.
Therefore, may I not have the pleasure of your ac¬
ceptance?
Very truly yours.
Chairman, American Executive
Committee.
CSStlUiB
Enclosure.
CQ^=
FIFTH INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS
if CHAMBERS gf COMMERCE
To be held in Boston, Massachusetts, September 24 to 28, 1912
June 21, 1912.
Mr. Thomas A. Edison,
Orange ,
Hew Jersey.
Dear Sir:
Let me personally express my grati¬
fication upon your acceptance as a member of
the American Honorary Committee for the forth¬
coming International Congress of Chambers of
Commerce, ana to sincerely hope that you may
be able to attend.
Yours very truly.
Chairman, American Executive
Committee.
GSS-.RAF
The first concerted movement among electric light
companies, contractors, dealers, manufacturers and agents,
to broaden the scope of, and increase the use of electricity,
was begun this week, when, at a meeting of representatives
of various branches of the electric industry, at the House
of Edison Light, South Framingham, Hass., the Electric
Development Association was formed.
The purpose of this Association is to extend the
sale of electrically operated applianeos find apparatus, to
promote and preserve a fellowship and lively co-operation
among tho various branches of the business, and to devolop
tho electrical field.
It was the expressed wish of the officers, and active
members of the Association that you should be affiliated with
tho organization; and I was instructed to extend to you a
cordial invitation to become a member of the Advisory Board,
assuring you that we should deeply appreciate the honor of
your acceptance.
President,
For Electric Development Association,
French ^Senevolent Society
450-458 WEST! 34th STREET
? . ?. . to t/ie
is hanebtj acltnoioier/ged toit/i
J. WEBER.
. WL.2SJM? . m
Orange , N. «/., _ _ 191 2. _
$Lttt!itotb tom % Irmnsts JV* fsbisan
feom ^Ifamas «A* ^is
- -
JUZn
T\ \)^3\X.OoX ^.OUjJOA
'TCXct&iECl
Ifteltom Memorial iFund.
12, Dartmouth Street,
Westminster, S.W.
L
1912.
The Honorary Treasurer heys leave to
acknowledge, with thanks, an behalf of the
Committee, Mr. - -<f
donation, for which a receipt is enclosed.
K.
- - -
no. 333
tuttrin ilflemoital Jimti
Q — -<p,
Rrcribcti from.
(hi (l CdJlJlt/ue/eC'il /d //t <ldoi*€-9H€4l&&9i€(/ 'ffittiu/.
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— Deutsches Museum —
VON MEISTERWERKEN DER NATURWISSENSCHAFT UND TECHNIK.
[o lib
AugUBt 27 1912
MONCHEN . . .
ZWEIBROCKENSTRASSE 12 - RUFNUMMER 8964. J
' tV"'" i -
c-
Mr. Thomas Alva E d is o n
Levellyn Pari,
grange, New Jersey
Dear Sir ,
We beg leave to infonn you that you hBve been
elected a member of the Board of Directors of the German
Museum by /^he unanimous vote of our Executive Committee .
/ We take the liberty of transmitting to you
^ enclosed the certificate of thiB election and embrace the
opportunity to express our satisfaction that you have entered
into closer connection with the efforts of our Museum as a
member of its Board .
V/ith the expression of our high consideration
Very respectfully yours
Deutsches Museum
1 Document
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ORGANIZATION COMMITTEE
if*
NEW JERSEY STATE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
OFFICE OF SECRETARY PaSSaiC, II. J., Sept. 11, 1912.
wIIScb 00. *,nrtl° 4
Hr. Thomas A. Edison,
V7est Orange, IT. J.
l!y dear Sir:
At a meeting of the newly
elected trustees of the Hew Jersey State
Chamber of Commerce held yesterday after- "“cm
noon at the Down Town Club, in Jersey City
it was very much desired by those present r«
that you be elected as one of the first pnIld
Vice-Presidents of the organisation. Co-
You were therefore unanimous- ai^“p"ipp
ly chosen to that office, and I take great
pleasure in advising you of this action m. hV
and venture the hope that you will honor fito
the Chamber of Commerce by accepting. ITo s"' “j, C1
official responsibilities or labor is ex- 0EO STnATFOnD,
pected of you by the trustees, so that the
office will not be in any sense a burden. Tl*™aJ „At0Nm
Your letter of the 9th inst. wt5m.<uSK55.
received, and I sincerely trust you may beFnA°« j,°'SIBVES;
able, if you attend the Electrical Show, 0Eol'n. macn11”1
to look in on the International Conferees at u
at Boston. You were named as a delegate DA;mLRJjT”0e8"FO
in any event , and credent ials will be e«W ’
sent for use in case you go. WM, a. iZ'm
CFHJ/LT.
' f, (J>
l ORGANIZATION COMMITTEE
;*
NEW JERSEY STATE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
OFFICE OF SECRETARY
Paonaic , fl. J., ‘‘opt. 12th 1912.
(0rgiml3atlim (Smmnltlrr
IJr. 'i'horaar A. ifidison,
".ST l masm0""' °/° iS(1if,on laboratory,
^MortgnEu pear iiir:
KnwiauV^tttri It gives me the greatest pleasure
Sar'cffia Bank of to inform y0U that, P.t the nO'OtiBg Of tllO
campheu Morreii jarsoy state uhanbor of uoramerco, hold
in Jornoy uity on Tuesday lurt, you ware un-
aniaourly oliopon a Trustee of the organ iu-
In the nano of the organisation uon-
raittoo, I wish to convey to you thoir rin-
coro appreciation of your prior acceptance
pos it ion which has already boon of
very material a-r if tanco in the furtherance
of tho Oonmitteo'r work.
Ei*rca.T jiecbanlc^TmBt co. with sincere lost wishes for the future
(DnjunlsatUm (Cnmmlllrr
RUTHERFORD
DlS!'E!lat°.SS’
WFrcs! Nutior'nonltT Co.
tvs
p*
M
WILLIAM J. HAMMER
CONSULTING ELECTRICAL ENGINEER
153 WEST 46th STREET
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[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
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[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
Pr©\a.dfoot’s OommegoiaX Jkgoacy
SINGER BUILDING
Hon. Thomas A. Edison,
Orange, II. J.
Bear Sir;- COIIDTEEITTIAL.
Prom a Santa Rosa correspondent: -
’"The luther Burhan Society' is located in Santa Rosa, Cal. It is
incorporated hut has no capital stock. There is a Luther Burhank Corporation
publishing hooks and exploiting Burhank creations hut it is entirely distinct
from 'The Luther Burhan Society.'
Luther Burhank is interested in 'The Luther Burhank Society', fie
is its Pres't. The membership in 'The Luther Burhank Society' is limited to
500 members - the membership fee is §150. The purpose of 'The Luther Burhank
Society' is to disseminate the knowledge and scientific development of Luther
Burhank to the end that those who need such knowledge may receive the benefit
of it. 'The Luther Burhank Society' has the good wishes and friendship of
Luther Burhank.
I think as to the first 100 members it was the wish of Mr. Burhank
to have the most useful persons that could he obtained and also that these
might he distributed over the country - that is the most I can say as to the
first 100 members - I have not asked Mr. Burhank to explain his attitude with
regard to the first 100 members.- The Secretary does not seem to understand
about that - A few more members are acceptable - Ho special effort has been
put forth to get members.1'
Yours truly.
PR0UBP00T ' S COMMERCIAL AGENCY.
Santa Rosa. California,
Jtovember 9, 1912.
Uy Dear Mr. Edison:
Within this package you will find your certificate of mem¬
bership in The Luther Burbank Society. For your oonvenienoe
these credentials have been made up in the form of a wallet.
In one of the pockets of the wallet there are three courtesy
cards, whloh please feel perfectly free to use in introducing
your friends and acquaintances . When these three courtesy
cards have been used, a request will bring as many more as
you require.
You will be glad to know that the work of The Society is mak¬
ing rapid headway and that one by one the problems whloh
originally confronted us are being solved.
One aspect of the work is the final revision of the manuscript.
Telling the average man, for example, how to produce better
and larger crops - telling him simply - for immediate appli¬
cation. When a man is told to watch his radish bed for early
sprouts, and to put a certain tag on those early Bprouts for
identification, it is easy for him to understand and apply -
without special education.
When he is further told to separate theBe identified radishes
for seed, he will follow these instructions much more readily
because he will see with his own eyes that these radishes are
the earliest of the lot and that they, their seed separated
and saved, will produce a crop ten days or two weeks earlier
than the ordinary seed, and thus command a higher market price.
Every story and every subject in the Burbank Books iB just as
simple - and just as effectively told. The aim is to provide
short-cuts instead of essays - interesting short-cutB such as
always appeal to the majority and produce the maximum good.
In fact, as it is now being finally revised, this manuscript
combines the most effective instruction that oan be given
with human interest so absorbing that to begin a ohapter
means to finish it without laying down the book.
Early in the work it was seen that as muoh, or more, depends
on the illustrations as depends on the manusoript itself t and
that illustrations are valueless unless they are in the actual
oolors of the objeot. It was realised that the best form for
these books was to picture in actual oolors every point disoussed
in the manusoript - and then, by means of terse paragraph cap- •
tiona under the illustrations, to re-toll their oonneotlon with
the text, so that one who merely looked at the piotures and read
their oaptions would get the value of the story.
When this matter of oolor illustrations was taken up, the only
process which oould be relied upon was to make oil paintings
of the subject) and after nearly 100 of these were made it waB
found that while they oould be reproduoed faithfully, yet - apart
from the excessive cost - the paintings themselves were faulty
in the extreme, failing to show with fidelity the actual tints
b brought up an entirely new paper stook problem which we
e able to solve by getting speoial paper made - a paper of
1 mat finish, restful in oolor, and ohemioally pure so that
oolor prints would not be Injured.
3 stook was only deoided on after eeverrfl of the largest
9r mills in Amerioa had made experiments, and we are now
b to say that this problem is solved, ana in a way Whioh
ureB not only absolute permanenoe, but insures books that
1 be beautiful and wonderfully easy to read.
Movember Fourteenth
Nine to e n-twe 1 ve
Santa Rosa. California,
T. A. Edison, Esq.
How York, If. Y.
My Dear Mr. Edison:
Hext week Mr. Burbank will sign the individual auto¬
graph dodioations whioh are to go into eaoh Life Mem¬
ber's set of the Burbank Books.
Until ready to bind into the books, these signed ded¬
ications - engraved on parohment with the Life Mem-
- * s engrossed - will be plaoed in the Society's
- -• Mr . Bnrbank’s nrioeless manu-
It is neoessary, therefore, to oomplete the final roll
of Life Members. This Life Membership, being limited
and assembled only by invitation, new invitations oan
not be issued until those who were originally invited
have signified either their release or aooeptanoe.
Some days ago you were invited to beoome a Life Member
of The Luther Burbank Sooiety upon reoommendation of
Mr. Arthur Vernon, the Associate Editor eBpeoially com¬
missioned by the Executive Committee to ascertain and
submit the names of men of various oooupation, whose
association and sponsorship will have, the proper publio
influenoe when the Sooiety begins to carry its leotures
and educational work into their respective territories.
Hot having hoard from you, I beg to inquire your wishes
with respeot to that formal invitation.
Youri/very^truly,
how Luther Burbank fumed the Yel¬
low poppy Crimson, together with
another membership dooument in oase
you have mislaid the one whioh went
to you with the original invitation.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
MEMBERSHIP ACCEPTANCE
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
THE LUTHER BURBANK SOCIETY
MEMBERS' PRIVILEGES
Each Life Member of The Luther Burbank Society is entitled
to receive without cost other than the payment in full of the
membership fee of The Society, the following:
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
LIFE MEMBERS
3lmmttors
Hew York, Hovenfter 29th,
A
l®
M
Thomas A. Edison, Esq.,
Orangey Hew Jersey.
Bear Sir:- , . .
I Mv. jo«x letter of tax. mu loot- la
*1* poo eodoro. » »«. of »r. 0. a. “ *
propose. ...tor of .ho latter. MU*. «* ftl>
rprded .... to Dooto, «H »f t» — «
for his attention.
SECRETARY,
UJVEHTORS GUILD.
A BIT OF HISTORY.
©rcctiiis to ittcmbtrsi : , p fraterna|
r ^ *. <*
SS. i. Hundred «d Wn*-.™ *-* ta— »
possible dub comfort, in its own building a. Number Twenty-one Spruce Street.
fntertainment.
A list of the names of those who have in the past shared the hospitality of the Club would read
scheduled for the immediate future. announcement.
Through an active membership campaign, authorized by a Resolution of the Board of Trustees
introduced^ M August meeting, the Press Club has added over three hundred most destraWe^
names to its splendid list of associate member, ^ k
The president is happy to announce
than $10,000 of a floating deb. and the cash in bank,
building. Interest on the real estate mortgages are paid p
with accounts due. equal the remaining indebtedness, except the mortgages.
AN APPEAL TO YOU,
v Inted herewith one RED CIRCLE APPLICATION BLANK. Before January
Or. $ 1 1.00 and $37.00 respectively. Send check with application.
OPEN HOUSE.
On „ ‘Min. IWA. —* *■» > P «• • *■ ■,',f 7'' ”* b'
ceremony will be held in the Assembly chamber on the sixth floor.
Cordially and fraternally yours.
December 4, 1912.
NATIONAL ELECTRIC LIGHT ASSOCIATION
of the award will be made public in a week or two and the award will be made
publicity with our three other gold medals at our annual meeting in this
building on the evening of January 23rd. Our medals are usually presented in
person, and of course we want Mr. Edison to be with us that evening. The
oermonies will be brief, but in view of the fact that this is the first time_
the Rathenau Medal lias been awarded in- this country, it is the one to which
most interest attaches. I would like to know if you will take this up with
Mr. Edison and whether X ought to arrange with Mrs. Edison to bring him in,
as I think she would also liketo be present on suoh an oooasion.
Thanking you in advanoe and with regards and bast wishes for the
New Year,
FB
Thanking you
PUBLICATION AND MICROFILM
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enlarged photocopies of selected
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effort possible has been
made to ensure legibility.
FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTORS
Wc thankfully acknowledge the vision and support of Rutgers University and the
Thomas A. Edison Papers Board of Sponsors.
This edition was made possible by grant funds provided from the New Jersey Historical
Commission, National Historical Publications and Records Commission, and The National
Endowment for the Humanities. Major underwriting has been provided by the Barkley Fund,
through the National Trust for the Humanities, and by The Charles Edison Foundation.
Wc are grateful for the generous support of the IEEE Foundation, the Hyde & Watson
Foundation, the Martinson Family Foundation, and the GE Foundation. We acknowledge gifts
from many other individuals, as well as an anonymous donor; the Association of Edison
Illuminating Companies; and the Edison Electric Institute. For the assistance of all these
organizations and individuals, as well as for the indispensable aid of archivists, librarians,
scholars, and collectors, the editors arc most grateful.
BOARD OF SPONSORS (2007)
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey National Park Service
Richard L. McCormick Maryanne Gerbauckas
Ziva Galili Michelle Ortwein
Ann Fabian
Paul Clemens Smithsonian Institution
Harold Wallace
New Jersey Historical Commission
Marc Mappen
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD (2007)
Robert Friedel, University of Maryland
Louis Galambos, Johns Hopkins University
Susan Hockey, Oxford University
Thomas P. Hughes, University of Pennsylvania
Ronald Kline, Cornell University
Robert Rosenberg, John Wiley & Sons
Marc Rothenberg, Joseph Henry Papers, Smithsonian Institution
Philip Scranton, Rutgers University/Hagley Museum
Merritt Roe Smith, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
THOMAS A. EDISON PAPERS STAFF (2007)
Director and General Editor
Paul Israel
Senior Editor
Thomas Jeffrey
Associate Editors
Louis Carlat
Theresa Collins
Assistant Editor
David Hochfelder
Indexing Editor
David Ranzan
Consulting Editor
Linda Endersby
Visiting Editor
Amy Flanders
Editorial Assistants
Alexandra Rimer
Kelly Enright
Eric Barry
Outreach and Development
(Edison Across the Curriculum)
Theresa Collins
Business Manager
Rachel Wcissenburgcr
Thomas A. Edison Papers
at
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
endorsed by
National Historical Publications and Records Commission
18 June 1981
Copyright ©2007 by Rutgers, The State University
All rights reserved. No part of this publication including any portion of the guide and
index or of the microfilm may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any
form by any means — graphic, electronic, mechanical, or chemical, including photocopying,
recording or taping, or information storage and retrieval systems — without written permission of
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey.
The original documents in this edition arc from the archives at the Edison National
Historic Site at West Orange, New Jersey.
ISBN 978-0-88692-887-2
A SELECTIVE MICROFILM EDITION
PARTV
(1911-1919)
Thomas E. Jeffrey
Senior Editor
Brian C. Shipley
Theresa M. Collins
Linda E. Endersby
Editors
David A. Ranzan
Indexing Editor
Janette Pardo
Richard Mizelle
Peter Mikulas
Indexers
Paul B. Israel
Director and General Editor
Sponsors
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